Why Rick Pitino’s first two Kentucky teams couldn’t go dancing
For younger Kentucky fans, it might seem strange: Rick Pitino’s first two seasons in Lexington included a miracle .500 year and then a 22–6 squad that finished No. 9 in the AP poll… yet neither made the NCAA Tournament. The reason? They weren’t allowed to.
Kentucky was still digging out from one of the ugliest scandals in program history, a mess left behind by Eddie Sutton’s tenure. In May 1989, just weeks before Pitino arrived, the NCAA dropped a hammer for a laundry list of issues: recruiting violations, academic fraud, and lack of institutional control, all while Kentucky was already on probation from a prior case.
The breaking point came in April 1988, when a package carrying $1,000 in cash — intended for the father of blue-chip recruit Chris Mills — burst open at an Emery Air Freight facility. The trail led to assistant Dwane Casey, igniting a full investigation. Casey was charged but denied all involvement and ended up winning a defamation suit against Emery Air who said it was his address on the return. The NCAA found 17 major violations, including ACT test cheating by star Eric Manuel, improper benefits to recruits, and an athletic department asleep at the wheel.
Sanctions were stiff but stopped short of the “death penalty” (a total program shutdown) thanks to UK’s cooperation and sweeping leadership changes. Sutton and his entire staff resigned, AD Cliff Hagan stepped down, and C.M. Newton took over to steer the ship.
The penalties:
- Three-year probation (1989–92)
- Two-year postseason ban (1989–90 and 1990–91)
- One-year TV ban (1989–90)
- Scholarship reductions to three per year for two seasons
- Vacating 1988 NCAA Tournament wins
So, when Pitino took the reins, his first two teams were handcuffed before they ever hit the floor. The 1989–90 squad scratched out a 14–14 record with a patchwork roster. The 1990–91 “Unforgettables” precursor team shocked the league with a 22–6 run and an SEC-best record — but the ban meant no NCAA glory.
By 1992, the shackles were off, and Pitino’s rebuilt Wildcats roared all the way to the Elite Eight. But those first two years stand as a testament to how far Kentucky had to climb just to get back to March.
Dwayne Casey has denied all involvement, and has never been proven to be involved. These are just allegations that were reported at the time, all persons are assumed innocent, this is just a collection of facts as reported by sources like ESPN, LA Times, local papers, and other notable reporters.