IPRB confirmed from several reliable sources that Rick Pitino has agreed to be the new Head Coach of the Puerto Rico National Team provided both sides can agree to financial terms. A source close to the negotiations confirmed earlier today that,"it could happen some time this week."
This is a huge move for Puerto Rico basketball and he is the most qualified candidate based on the names we have been hearing from various media outlets. Pitino has a record of building programs and teaching players how to play! Nobody will have the team better prepared for this summer. As the rest of the Caribbean and the world for that matter catches up to Puerto Rico this type of move sends a message that they are serious about qualifying for the 2012 Olympics.
Sources close to Dallas Mavs point guard JJ Barea confirmed that he is supportive of this move and that he may have talked with Pitino within the last week. Kudos to Carlos Beltran (Federation President), Ricardo Carrillo ( Federation Vice President) if they can pull this off!
