Former NBA All-Star Jermaine O’Neal recently opened up about how close he was to signing with Kentucky right after the Wildcats won the national title in 1996, but it was advice from head coach Rick Pitino that ultimately redirected his path.
During an appearance on the Str8 to Da League podcast, O’Neal explained that Kentucky stood as his number one option out of high school, with Pitino putting in serious effort on the recruiting trail and visiting O’Neal and his family at home multiple times.
“I was locked in on going to Kentucky. Big respect to Rick Pitino, man. He recruited me hard, and this was the most honest moment, honestly. My mom adored him, man. She absolutely adored him,” O’Neal recalled.
O’Neal said that Pitino’s straightforward approach was exactly what pushed him toward declaring for the NBA Draft rather than enrolling in college.
“He was in our living room, came by four different times, and told me, ‘Look, I know everything about you, your family, the hardships, what you’ve been through.’ He continued, ‘We’ll be fine whether you come or not. We’d love to have you, but the best move is for you to turn pro.’ That was the most honest thing anyone had said to me, bro. Once he laid it out like that, it just clicked.”
O’Neal was selected 17th overall in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers and went on to enjoy an 18-year professional career, earning six All-Star nods, three All-NBA selections, and career averages of 13.2 points and 7.2 rebounds over more than 1,000 regular-season games.
Though Kentucky supporters are left to wonder what might have been, O’Neal’s story added yet another layer to Pitino’s track record of prioritizing what was best for the player over simply securing a commitment.
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