Would Hiring Richard Pitino Be a Risky Move or a Home Run for West Virginia? New Mexico head coach Richard Pitino is rumored to be in the mix for the WVU job.

West Virginia’s search for a new men’s head basketball coach is nearing its end as a decision is expected to be made in the coming days. With WVU passing on Jerrod Calhoun, much of the attention has turned to North Texas’ Ross Hodge, who has done an impressive job in two years as the lead man.

However, New Mexico’s Richard Pitino is in the mix as well and could be a finalist for the job. If West Virginia believes he’s the guy, can put together a compelling offer, and get a deal done, the college basketball world will have its eyes on the Mountaineers to see how the son of legendary Rick Pitino does in his second go-around at a Power Four school.

Is it a risky move, though?

Nov 17, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New Mexico Lobos head coach Richard Pitino and St. John’s Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino greet each other prior to the start of the game at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

If WVU does end up hiring Pitino, there has to be some level of comfort that he would be in Morgantown for the long haul, or else Baker wouldn’t make the decision to give him the job. After Darian DeVries bolted after just one season, Baker knows he needs to land someone who is not only successful but isn’t going to jump at the first opportunity to leave.

Again, working under hypotheticals here, if Pitino gets the job and has success early in his tenure, could WVU be in danger of losing another young, successful coach to a bigger program with deeper pockets?

Maybe.

If you look around the country, though, the only big-time job that may come open in the near future is North Carolina. Duke, Kentucky, UCLA, Michigan, Michigan State, UConn, Indiana, Kansas, and others alike all have their guy.

Then again, who knows? Crazy things happen, and perhaps one of those jobs pops open sooner than expected. Pitino’s name carries a lot of weight and those who have openings in the future will have him at or near the top of the respective lists.

Risky? Yes. But if Wren Baker does what he pledged to do – hire the best candidate for the job – then he will do exactly that.

Of the candidates left in play, you could argue that Pitino is the most qualified. He was a really young Power Four head coach at Minnesota, where he had some success, guiding the Gophers to two NCAA Tournament appearances, and has rebounded nicely in his four-year stint at New Mexico going 88-49, also with two trips to the dance.

So, the answer to the question is yes, it’s both risky and a home run at the same time. That said, Wren Baker, or any athletic director for that matter can’t live in fear. If Pitino gives West Virginia the best chance to win, then that should be who Baker pursues.