Rick Pitino is set to make his first return to Louisville since his dismissal prior to the 2017-18 season, attending a ceremony to honor the late Kenny Klein. On January 2, ahead of Louisville’s game against Stanford, the Atlantic Coast Conference school will unveil a banner commemorating Klein, who served as a prominent sports information director for Louisville before joining St. John’s in recent years. Klein passed away on June 25 at age 66. His banner will be displayed alongside retired player numbers in the rafters of the KFC Yum! Center.

Klein was widely recognized for his extensive work managing media relations at major sporting events, including 30-plus years overseeing the Final Four media operations, as well as coverage of the Kentucky Derby and the Ryder Cup. Pitino praised Klein’s impact at St. John’s during his two-year tenure there, describing him as a key figure in advancing the program’s profile.

As a tribute to Klein, St. John’s has dedicated a seat next to Pitino at the scorer’s table to remain empty throughout the season. Additionally, players wear a black band on their jerseys featuring Klein’s initials “K.K.” to honor his memory.

Pitino, who coached Louisville for 16 seasons, leading the Cardinals to one national championship in 2005 and three Final Four appearances, was not present during the university’s 2024-25 season recognition of that championship team. Instead, a video message from him was played. Reflecting on his departure from Louisville, Pitino acknowledged the circumstances leading to his firing as justified, though he noted changes in the university’s leadership since then. He said the board members responsible for his dismissal have been replaced and that Larry Benz, the current chairman of the board and a personal friend, apologized to him in person earlier this year for how the situation was handled.

“I was fired from [Louisville] but like I’ve said many, many times, what went on, I deserved to be fired. The people that fired me and did it the wrong way are all gone now,” Pitino said.

Looking ahead, Louisville and St. John’s have the potential to face each other in the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, with a possible matchup on Thanksgiving Day if both teams win their opening games. Pitino expressed a hopeful but candid sentiment about the prospect, wishing Louisville success in every game except one.