Rick Pitino confirmed after Saturday's loss to Virginia that he will replace current director of basketball operations David Padgett to full-time assistant coach for the 2016-17 season. Padgett will replace Ralph Willard, who agreed last spring to serve as an assistant coach at Louisville for the 2015-16 season only.
"He's earned it," Pitino said of Padgett. "I can trust him to always do the right things for the players."
Padgett, who was a three-year starter and captain at Louisville from 2005-08, served as U of L's assistant strength coach during the 2010-11 season before spending three years as an assistant coach at IUPUI.