Rick Pitino 'Firmly' Disagrees With Louisville Notice of Allegations

Former Louisville men's basketball coach Rick Pitino is speaking out after the NCAA issued a Notice of Allegations to the program Monday.

Pitino and Iona, the school he currently coaches at, released statements on the notice.

"Today the NCAA released a NOA and alleges a Level II violation against me. I firmly disagree with this allegation and will follow the protocols in addressing this allegation through the administrative process," Pitino said, per Forbes's Adam Zagoria. "Due to NCAA bylaws on public disclosure on enforcement issues, I will have no further comment on this matter until it is resolved."

Iona said it is aware of the NOA report and supports Pitino.

Louisville received the NOA in connection with the 2017 FBI college hoops scandal. The alleged violations fall within its 2016–17 and 2017–18 seasons. 

A Level One allegation said Pitino "did not satisfy his head coach responsibility when he failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance." The notice also included a Level Two "failure to cooperate allegation against the former head coach."

The notice involved four allegations, including a Level One allegation that said boosters provided impermissible benefits to prospective student athletes. The allegation is related to Adidas bribing the father of former prospect Brian Bowen Jr., who signed with Louisville but was later deemed ineligible by the NCAA after an investigation found an Adidas employee conspired to pay the Bowen family $100,000 if Bowen Jr. committed to the Cardinals.

Iona hired Pitino in mid-March after he spent two seasons coaching in Greece. In 2017, the Cardinals fired Pitino in connection to the federal investigation concerning schools bribing recruits to steer them to certain programs and shoe apparel companies. Louisville is at least the seventh school to be formally charged by the NCAA in relation to the investigation.