Rick Pitino hire shows what is most important to Iona

Of course Rick Pitino is the center of college basketball again. With the NCAA Tournament on hiatus, Pitino stole the attention of the sport Saturday afternoon, when the scandal-scarred Hall of Famer agreed to end his two-year exile in Greece and become the head coach at Iona, following Tim Cluess’ health-related resignation Friday. On Wednesday, …

Of course Rick Pitino is the center of college basketball again.

With the NCAA Tournament on hiatus, Pitino stole the attention of the sport Saturday afternoon, when the scandal-scarred Hall of Famer agreed to end his two-year exile in Greece and become the head coach at Iona, following Tim Cluess’ health-related resignation Friday.

On Wednesday, the Gaels’ four-year reign as MAAC champions ended with a last-second loss to Saint Peter’s. It was the first time since 2009 that Iona finished with a losing record. It was the first time since 2015 the Gaels weren’t going to go the NCAA Tournament.

Now, the mid-major is bigger than ever.

Less than three years ago, Pitino was the highest-paid coach in college basketball. He’s the only coach to ever claim national titles with two different schools (Kentucky, Louisville). He made seven Final Fours, beginning with Providence’s improbable run in 1987. Two years after that, he led the Knicks to their best season in 16 years.

There was no better basketball mind on the market. Pitino, 67, was light years ahead of the recent 3-point revolution. He spawned one of the game’s most successful coaching trees — including Billy Donovan, Jeff Van Gundy, Tubby Smith, Kevin Willard, Frank Vogel, Brett Brown, Mick Cronin, Steve Masiello, Kevin Keatts, Herb Sendek and others.

Usually, Iona is harmed by the success of its coaches. Jim Valvano left in 1980 so he could win a national title with N.C. State three years later. Pat Kennedy turned two trips to the dance with Iona into 11 years at Florida State. Kevin Willard made a 19-win improvement in three years and revived Seton Hall from irrelevance.

How could Iona replace its greatest coach — who led the school to six NCAA Tournaments in eight years — ever? By landing one of the greatest coaches of all time.

For Pitino, it made even more sense. He’s from New York. He has an apartment in Manhattan. One of his sons lives 10 minutes from New Rochelle. He has prominent friends at Iona — including school president Seamus Carey and top booster Robert LaPenta — and has amassed so many millions that his first mid-major paycheck since 1983 (Boston University) is inconsequential.

The size of the program didn’t matter. The spotlight follows him everywhere.

Of course, Iona is now his home because no major conference came calling. Sources said Pitino was desperate to return to college basketball. Pitino publicly campaigned for the vacant St. John’s job in April, knowing the school had no interest. That’s why he included the absurd caveat that he first receive an apology from the Southern District of New York. That demand has apparently been dropped.

This isn’t a slam dunk for Iona. This is a fadeaway 3-pointer with four hands it in its face.

Because for all of the brilliance and success and publicity comes baggage and questions that made him available at a discount.

Most recently was the straw that broke the Cardinals’ back and led to Louisville firing Pitino in 2017 after 16 seasons, when the FBI’s investigation into college basketball discovered a five-star recruit receiving a six-figure payment to attend Louisville, via its sponsor, Adidas. The NCAA still has not announced penalties for Louisville, and Pitino could still face punishment. Iona could, too, for hiring him.

“These allegations come as a complete shock to me,” Pitino said at the time.

His response was similar in 2015, when it was revealed a Louisville assistant was caught providing prostitutes and strippers to recruits in an on-campus dorm named after Pitino’s late brother-in-law. The school instituted a self-imposed postseason ban in 2016, had two Final Fours — including its 2013 national championship — vacated and Pitino was suspended for five games for the 2017-18 season, which he never served and could still be subject to.

“I don’t know if any of this is true or not,” Pitino said at the time.

It is widely believed among coaches, agents and administrators that Pitino knew everything. His power over a program is partly responsible for his repeated trips to cut down nets.

The small, suburban, Catholic college also knows of another mistake, coming when Pitino admitted to infidelity during a 2003 encounter in a Louisville restaurant and gave a then-impregnated woman $3,000, which she used for an abortion.

Personally, I don’t care. I’m not Catholic. I’m not even religious. It’s just the latest reminder of the altar at which colleges worship.