​Former NBA All-Star Jermaine O’Neal recently revealed that a Kentucky decision almost happened for him after the Wildcats’ 1996 national championship run, until a pivotal talk with head coach Rick Pitino redirected his path. Appearing on the Str8 to Da League podcast, O’Neal explained that Kentucky was his top choice while he was finishing high school, and Pitino had heavily pursued him, making multiple in-home visits with O’Neal and his family.
“I was going to go to Kentucky. Shout out to Rick Pitino, man. He recruited me, and this was the realest thing, man. My mother loved him; she loved him,” O’Neal recalled.
O’Neal noted that Pitino’s blunt honesty ultimately persuaded him to bypass college and enter the NBA Draft. “He was sitting in our living room, he came four times on visits, and he said, ‘Look, everything I know about you and your family, the struggles, the things you’re going through. We’re going to be good with you, or we’re going to be good without you. We’d love to have you, but you should go pro.’ That was the realest thing, bro. When he said that, it made complete sense.”
Following Pitino’s counsel, O’Neal entered the 1996 NBA Draft as the No. 17 overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers. He went on to forge an 18-year NBA career featuring six All-Star selections, three All-NBA Team honors, and career averages of 13.2 points and 7.2 rebounds over more than 1,000 games.
In reflecting on Pitino’s influence, O’Neal highlighted the coach’s willingness to prioritize his players’ long-term well-being over immediate recruiting wins. Kentucky fans can only imagine the potential impact if O’Neal had chosen the blue-and-white path, but his story adds another layer to Pitino’s legacy as a recruiter who often balanced winning with a focus on players’ futures. This account underscores Pitino’s reputation for evaluating not just what’s best for the program in the short term, but what’s best for the student-athlete in the long run.