Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Rick Pitino Has Message for Chris Beard About Indiana Job

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Levi Dombro | Last updated Feb 24, 2025 12:14 PM ET

The St. John's Red Storm have been one of the biggest stories in college basketball this season under legendary head coach Rick Pitino. He has ascended back into coaching stardom as a result and was recently asked about his recommendation for the Indiana basketball coaching vacancy on an episode of "Pardon My Take."

"I'm gonna have some people upset at me," said Pitino. "If I was the (athletic director) at Indiana ... I would immediately not even interview anybody else, and hire one of the premier coaches in all of college basketball, and that's (Ole Miss head coach) Chris Beard."

Beard has only spent two seasons in Oxford but has proven that he can turn a program around quickly, as he has done at each of his last four coaching stops. The Hoosiers will need such a boost when head coach Mike Woodson retires after this season, and Pitino went on about Beard's coaching prowess.

"I always judge a coach by his practices," said Pitino. "I have to tell you that those are some of the best practices, and meetings with his team, that I've ever witnessed."

The Rebels are poised to make a tournament run of their own this season despite the rough stretch they are currently enduring. A March Madness berth this year would be their first since 2019, so losing the coach who brought you there would be a massive blow to Ole Miss.

"I think he would kill it at Indiana," said Pitino. "He'd have them in the top five to seven every single year. ... He's a superstar, top-three coach in my estimation."

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: