Richard Pitino named to Coach of the Year watchlist

Richard Pitino on Friday was named to the Naismith Men’s Coach of the Year watch list.

He is one of 15 coaches across Division I basketball to make the list, as announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. It’s the second consecutive year he’s made the watchlist, one of just four coaches on both last season’s and this season’s watch list, joining Purdue’s Matt Painter, Auburn’s Bruce Pearl, and Houston’s Kelvin Sampson.

Also, Pitino on Monday was named the Dickie V National Coach of the Week, as selected by ESPN’s famous college basketball personality Dick Vitale.

So what does the fourth-year Lobos coach think about it all?

Pitino did not comment on it to the Journal, nor was he quoted in the UNM news release about the award.

But consider his response to all the weekly awards and national watchlists his players have had come their way this season: He just doesn’t really care.

“Player of the Week I think is silly. I love that Nelly (Junior Joseph) gets recognition because he’s a phenomenal person, and I love him. And Donovan (Dent), love him. They like it. It’s not really for me,” Pitino said Feb. 4 when asked about Junior Joseph winning Mountain West Player of the Week and about Dent being named to a national player of the year watchlist, but being left off the Bob Cousy Award watchlist for best point guard.

Pitino made clear he’s proud of his players for their honors. He said Dent should be on any list for top point guard, and the coach acknowledged such things (awards or watchlists) are good for the program.

But talking points and in-season honors aren’t atop his list of favorite things.

“We set team goals every single year, and I would hope Donovan’s individual goal is to not be the, whatever it is Bob Cousy point — like that shouldn’t be on his radar,” Pitino said. “Donovan’s radar, in my opinion, should be obviously, hopefully to graduate from the University of New Mexico, hopefully to develop as a human being, hopefully to be in a position to play NBA basketball, if not NBA, then overseas or G League, or whatever he desires to do, help us win, which I know he’s done.

“Being on a Bob Cousy Award list, it doesn’t get him anywhere, in my opinion. With that being said, though he deserves to be on it, he’s extremely impactful. So I don’t care. Those things don’t motivate me, but they probably motivate the players more than I put into it.”

UNM is 22-5 this season and at 14-2 in Mountain West play sits alone in first place atop the conference standings with the weekend off. They return to action Tuesday at San Diego State, the first of the Lobos final four regular season games.

THE LIST, INCLUDING THAT OTHER PITINO: The Naismith watchlist includes Richard Pitino’s dad, Rick, who has coached St. John’s to first place in the Big East.

In addition to Painter, Pearl, Sampson and the two Pitinos, the other 10 coaches up for national coach of the year include: Greg Gard, Wisconsin; Dennis Gates, Missouri; Todd Golden, Florida; Penny Hardaway, Memphis; Tom Izzo, Michigan State; Pat Kelsey, Louisville; Dusty May, Michigan; Grant McCasland, Texas Tech; Ben McCollum, Drake; and Jon Scheyer, Duke.