Rick Pitino’s Sneaky Attempts to Coach Nets

Slick Rick is reportedly after the coaching gig in New Jersey (and going about it through shady backdoor channels), but the Nets may be after two other top collegiate coaching candidates: “On the day that Louisville’s Rick Pitino denied a Daily News report that he would like to coach the team next season, two other prominent college coaches emerged as possible candidates to land the top job in New Jersey. Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski is No. 1 on the Nets’ wish list, according to a report posted on The Record of Hackensack’s Web site last night. And Kentucky’s John Calipari, who coached the Nets during the late ’90s, is also on the team’s radar, sources told The News. Krzyzewski and Calipari are two of the top coaches in the college ranks and it makes sense that the Nets would be eyeing either one. Krzyzewski has led Duke to three national titles and is also the coach of the U.S. men’s national team, which makes him close to potential free agents LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer and Amar’e Stoudemire, who all play for Team USA. Meanwhile, Calipari is now coaching point guard John Wall at Kentucky.”