#Rick Pitino urges NCAA to push back basketball season amid coronavirus

Due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, Rick Pitino has yet to see his new players work out at Iona College. He’s fine with his return to college coaching being pushed back as well.

“Suggestion to the NCAA, push the start of the season back to January and only play league games,” Pitino suggested on Wednesday afternoon via Twitter. “Buy some more time for a vaccine and to get things under control. Although I can’t wait to be back on the sidelines, the health of my players and staff is what’s really important.”

The legendary coach’s suggestion matched what a few Big East coaches have told The Post is their expectation for the upcoming school year. It remains uncertain what will happen with college football, as cases of the virus have skyrocketed across the country in recent weeks.

Recently, some have suggested the football season be moved to the spring. In early June, college football teams began bringing student-athletes back for voluntary workouts. LSU and Clemson, who faced off in last year’s National Championship, both announced over 30 of their players had tested positive. Arizona, Boise State, Houston and Kansas State all paused their workouts.

The 67-year-old Pitino – who has won two national championships, taken three teams to the Final Four and owns a career record of 770-271 – agreed to a five-year contract with Iona in March after coaching the last two years in Greece. He was dismissed from Louisville in October of 2017 in wake of a “pay-for-play” scandal.