"You’ll see us on the cover of Sports Illustrated again": When Rick Pitino started off Kentucky HC stint with a lofty promise to Wildcats faithful

Rick Pitino coached Kentucky for eight seasons from 1989 to 1997. However, the Wildcats were ineligible for the NCAA and SEC Tournaments in 1990 and 1991 due to sanctions from the Eddie Sutton era.

Nonetheless, when Kentucky hired Pitino in June 1989, he made quite a lofty promise to the fans to get the program back to glory.

"One thing I promise," Pitino said. "You'll see us on the cover of "Sports Illustrated" again. And we will be cutting down certain nets. It won't be for what you saw last week. That's yesterday's news."

Pitino used the SI reference because a week after he arrived in Lexington, an issue of "Sports Illustrated" showed a cover photo that was provocative and memorable in its jarring simplicity. It featured a basketball player with his back to the reader and head bowed down, while a ball was held against his right hip.

On the back of the player's blue jersey, where the athlete's name was supposed to be shown, was the word "Kentucky." Moreover, the headline above the player's head read "Kentucky's Shame."

"Proud, elegant Kentucky stood threadbare, stripped of its medals and conceits, dispossessed of image and reputation, exposed as a common NCAA felon," then-SI writer Curry Kirkpatrick detailed as part of Kentucky's story.

The NCAA sanctioned Kentucky for academic fraud following Sutton's actions, which included sending money to a recruit and using an ineligible player, Eric Manuel, in the 1988 NCAA tournament.

As a result, Kentucky couldn't take part in any postseason tournament during his first two years at the program.

Rick Pitino lived up to his promise at Kentucky

Former Kentucky HC Rick Pitino - Source: Getty

Rick Pitino lived up to his promise of bringing success to Kentucky. He led the Wildcats to the national championship in 1996.

In his eight years with the program, Pitino compiled a 219-50 record. He also won two SEC regular-season titles and two conference tournament titles. He was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013. He is currently serving as the coach at St. John's.