LEXINGTON, Ky. — He waited for the all the cheers and applause to die down. He waited to gather his thoughts. Then, he spoke.
A visibly emotional Rick Pitino , back at Rupp Arena donned in Kentucky blue for the first time in decades, was a fitting finale Friday night to a Big Blue Madness event that honored the greatness of college basketball’s winningest program .
“I am so happy to be back,” Pitino said after grabbing a microphone. “I said, ‘Before I pack it in in coaching, I want to go back to Camelot for one more time.’ There’s no way I could return better. This is one of the best nights I’ve had in a long time, because I visit all my players. I visit the fans that made me happy for every single day for eight years.”
His triumphant return was in large part due to one of his former players: Mark Pope , a team captain of the 1995-96 club that — under Pitino’s watchful eye — captured the Wildcats ‘ sixth national championship , is entering his first season as UK’s coach .