Rick Pitino Sues Louisville For $38.7M Over Firing

LOUISVILLE, KY — Rick Pitino has sued the University of Louisville Athletic Association for $38.7 million, saying it breached his contract by placing him on unpaid administrative leave without notice and firing him with no legally justified cause.

The ULAA fired the Hall of Fame coach on Oct. 16, weeks after Louisville acknowledged it was being investigated in a federal bribery probe of college basketball. Pitino is not named in the federal complaint and has denied participation in and knowledge of alleged payments to a recruit's family.

A criminal complaint unveiled by the U.S. Justice Department in September said heralded recruit Brian Bowen agreed to attend Louisville after Adidas executive Jim Gatto promised to pay the player’s family $100,000. Pitino has said he had no knowledge of such a scheme, but a federal indictment unveiled earlier this month said Pitino agreed with the plan to pay Bowen.

Pitino's lawsuit, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court, seeks liquidated contract damages of $4.307 million through 2026. It says the ULAA did not give him 10 days advance notice before it "effectively fired" him and insists that he followed suggestions to improve oversight of the basketball program.

University spokesman John Karman said the school is aware of Pitino's suit but won't comment on pending litigation.

Pitino's attorney Steve Pence said in a statement that the coach diligently supervised his staff and stressed compliance with NCAA rules.

Ten people, including four assistant coaches and Gatto, were initially charged in the investigation on Sept. 26. The next day, Louisville interim President Greg Postel placed Pitino on unpaid leave and athletic director Tom Jurich on paid administrative leave. Trustees fired Jurich by 10-3 vote on Oct. 18.

Hours after Pitino's firing, Adidas terminated its personal services contract with the coach. He sued the sportswear maker a day later and said it "outrageously conspired" to funnel money to a recruit without his knowledge.

AP Photo/Nick Lisi, File