By Amar Singh
sports
Rick Pitino Claims That He Got A Job Offer From Maryland
Rick Pitino, a hall-of-fame basketball coach, recently suggested that he received an offer to lead Maryland during the Terps' coaching hunt last year.
The inference from Pitino was made clear in a lengthy conversation with CBS Sports' Matt Norlander.
"I was offered three really good jobs last year," Pitino said. "But I told the one job, it was a big-time job, I said, 'Look, I've got a $5 million buyout. I had $10 million prior to that. I'm not worth that.'"
According to sources cited by CBS Sports, Pitino was referring to a position in Maryland.
Pitino is presently midway through his third campaign as the basketball program's head coach at Iona.
"The University of Maryland is one of the premier institutions of higher learning," Pitino tweeted last year in response to reports about the Terps' job.
"Its basketball program can be among the nation's best. I hope they find the next great Gary Williams. I love coaching at Iona, and I'm totally committed to my players. It will not be me."