Rick Pitino Had Perfect Response After ABC Cameras Gave Away His Phone Number

A trip to Sunday’s New York Knicks-Clevland Cavaliers NBA playoff game at Madison Square Garden may have left new St. John’s basketball coach Rick Pitino in need of a new phone number.

During a stoppage of play, Pitino was featured during an ABC compilation of celebrities in attendance along with stars like Ben Stiller, Tracy Morgan and Jon Stewart. When the camera panned to Pitino, the former Knicks coach was seen telling someone his phone number. Fans on social media quickly read Pitino’s lips and apparently flooded Pitino’s phone with messages.

Here’s how that moment played out on national television:

Rick Pitino might want to change his phone number now https://t.co/0Lixd8PvO7

— Thomas Cavanagh (@TJ_Cavanagh) April 23, 2023

Pitino tweeted Monday that he had gotten “300 plus messages,” though 95 percent of them were “nice n positive,” with some even giving him leads on recruits for him to target at St. John’s.

So yesterday I was enjoying the Knicks game n someone read my lips on TV giving out my phone number. Over 300 plus messages came in - here’s the bizarre news, 95% were nice n positive. I got a lead on 7 new recruits. My new cell is…..😜

— Rick Pitino (@RealPitino) April 24, 2023

The 70-year-old Pitino has been working to rebuild a St. John’s roster that retained just three scholarship players after his arrival in late March. Now, he’ll add getting a new phone number to his to-do list.