NEW YORK, N.Y.
St. John’s Head Coach Rick Pitino will be honored for his outstanding contributions to Panathinaikos B.C. of the EuroLeague on Sunday, June 16 at the 2024 Panatha Gala.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer will be recognized along with Panathinaikos great Fragiskos Alvertis during a dinner reception at Terrace on the Park in Queens hosted by Panatha USA and organized by Dream Hospitality Group.
Pitino was the head coach of Panathinaikos from 2018-20 and led the club to back-to-back Greek Basket League (GBL) championships. During his first season with Panathinaikos in 2018-19, Pitino guided the team to a Greek Basketball Cup title after defeating PAOK B.C., 79-73, in the championship game. Pitino has also served as head coach of Greece’s senior national team at the 2020 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament held in Victoria, Canada in 2021.
In his first season at St. John’s, Pitino led the Red Storm to 20 victories with 11 wins coming in BIG EAST play, marking the program’s most conference wins since 2010-11. St. John’s won six of its final seven games of the season, including an 80-66 victory over eventual Sweet 16 participant Creighton. Pitino also guided the Johnnies to the BIG EAST Tournament semifinals for the first time in 24 years. The Red Storm rolled to a 91-72 quarterfinal victory over eventual NIT champion Seton Hall before falling to eventual National Champion Connecticut, 95-90, in the semifinals.
Doors to the 2024 Panatha Gala open at 6 p.m. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
