Richard Pitino was with his basketball team on a 10-day tour through Spain when news of the resignation and sexual harassment scandal involving University of Minnesota athletics director Norwood Teague broke earlier this month.
After returning from the trip, the Gophers coach expressed disappointment over the situation.
But Pitino knows he wouldn't be here without Teague, who hired him away from Florida International in 2013.
"It's very difficult because Norwood hired me," Pitino told Gophers play-by-play announcer Mike Grimm on 1500ESPN on Tuesday. "I can't ignore the fact that he gave me an unbelievable opportunity, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.