Louisville men's basketball head coach Rick Pitino is closing out a lame-duck season that will see the Cardinals left out of the NCAA tournament due to a recruiting scandal, which has the Basketball Hall of Famer looking ahead to his future with the program.
In the wake of former escort Katina Powell releasing the book Breaking Cardinal Rules—which accused ex-Louisville assistant Andre McGee of paying for strippers and escorts to woo prospective recruits—Louisville self-imposed a postseason ban for the 2015-16 season.
According to ESPN.com's Ian O'Connor, Pitino has enjoyed the stretch run despite the initial disappointment, and it will play a significant factor in whether he returns for the 2016-17 campaign.