The Villanova Wildcats got bounced by the St. John’s Red Storm 89-57 on Saturday.
A loss like that is always going to sting for Wildcats head coach Kevin Willard, but having it come at the hands of Red Storm coach Rick Pitino was extra painful.
Before Willard had worked his way up the head-coaching ranks from Iona to Seton Hall, Maryland, and eventually to Villanova, he was Pitino’s assistant with the Boston Celtics and Louisville Cardinals.
After Saturday’s lopsided loss, Willard was asked what Pitino was like at practice and only somewhat-jokingly recalled the “miserable” existence.
Kevin Willard on working for Rick Pitino 😂
“I’m not bullshitting you, I don’t have hair cause of this guy. It’s the most miserable experience in life. You fear for your life… And as he’s gotten older, he’s probably become more of a cranky old bitch”
(🎥: @PHLSportsNow) pic.twitter.com/3MnZZ8vyux
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 1, 2026
“I’m not bullsh*tting you — I don’t have hair because of this guy,” said Willard. “I had a full set of hair when I started working for him. It’s the most miserable experience in life. You fear for your life every day. Everyone laughs when I say that, but you think you’re going to get fired. It’s miserable.”
It’s been a while since Willard had to answer to Pitino, but he says that he imagines his former boss hasn’t changed very much.
“As he’s gotten older, he’s probably become more of a cranky old [expletive] than he was when I worked for him, but you literally fear for your life,” he said. “He walks into the facility at 6:30, and you’ve been there since 5:30 thinking you have everything right, and he comes in and asks you the one question you don’t know. He’s that intense. He always has been. He’s got the most energy of any coach I’ve ever been around. I think that’s why he’s got 900 wins and national championships because he does it better and more intense than anybody.”
While his comments might read (and even sound) pretty harsh, Willard wanted to make sure people understood he was trying to be complimentary, taking to X on Sunday to offer some added clarification.
Coach Pitino gave me my first opportunity as a coach, a fact I am forever grateful for. It is impossible to calculate how much I learned in every aspect of the game in my 10 years working for him.
As a great competitor, he was often at his best after a loss. His energy and…— Kevin Willard (@KevinWillard) March 1, 2026
“Coach Pitino gave me my first opportunity as a coach, a fact I am forever grateful for,” Willard wrote. “It is impossible to calculate how much I learned in every aspect of the game in my 10 years working for him. As a great competitor, he was often at his best after a loss. His energy and passion in those moments are part of what makes him a Hall of Fame coach. Coach is absolutely the best at what he does.”
Despite the tough loss to his former boss, Willard currently has Villanova at 22-7 and in position to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.