Rick Pitino talks Kenny Atkinson, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving

New Iona mentor Rick Pitino discusses the Brooklyn Nets’ firing of Kenny Atkinson as nicely as the new superstar duo.

Rick Pitino, the new mentor of Iona College’s men’s basketball workforce, participated in a new Q&A and talked about the Brooklyn Nets pretty a little bit. When Steve Serby of the New York Article requested him about his feelings on the firing of head mentor Kenny Atkinson, Pitino explained he was shocked.

“If you glance at his roster ideal now, there’s no way they’re a playoff workforce, and he has them in the playoffs,” he explained. “He took fellas with no status, and designed them into genuinely superior basketball gamers. Basically would have been one of my choices for Coach of the 12 months.”

When requested about the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving signings, Pitino explained he was shocked that they signed individuals specials devoid of even giving the New York Knicks much thought.

He explained that he regards Durant as an all-time excellent simply because of his intelligence, on-court competencies, and function ethic. He did admit that Durant is coming off a hard Achilles injury. Nevertheless, he states KD by no means relied on his athleticism to be excellent, just his competencies.

Pitino explained Irving is a excellent player as well and mentioned that he’s superior pals with the Boston Celtics machines supervisor who explained Irving does not should have the criticism he receives.

When Serby requested him if he thinks the Nets will be in the championship discussion upcoming yr, Pitino explained it depends on how superior they are defensively.

“You’ve gotta establish an identification of what you want to be from a design and style standpoint, and once they establish that identification through their new mentor, then we’ll see how superior they’re heading to be,” Pitino said.

Prior to the league suspension owing to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Nets have been thirty-34 and in seventh place in the Japanese Meeting. It’s unclear how it goes from right here relating to the continuation of the present-day marketing campaign. But if the league decides to go straight to the 16-workforce postseason when basketball is capable to get started up once again, the Nets will be punching their ticket to the playoffs for the second consecutive yr.