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The Cartoonist Who Saw the Future: How a Honolulu Artist Predicted the Rick Pitino Legend

In the annals of sports forecasting, few predictions have aged as gracefully as the one made by Harry Lyons, a newspaper cartoonist and columnist for the Honolulu Advertiser, nearly half a century ago. Lyons, known for his whimsical drawings and sharp observations, saw something special in a young, slick coach named Rick Pitino, then navigating a turbulent period as the interim head coach of the University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors basketball team.

Lyons’s prediction, penned in a 1976 column, wasn’t just a fleeting comment. It was a full-throated endorsement of Pitino, a man who had just inherited a program in disarray and was struggling to find his footing. Lyons not only believed Pitino had the potential to become a "heck of a coach someday," but he also passionately hoped that Pitino would get a "good, fair, reasonably long-term shot" at leading the Hawaii program.

The column, accompanied by a cartoon depicting Pitino coaching the Rainbow Warriors, was a testament to Lyons’s keen eye for talent and his willingness to champion an underdog. At a time when Pitino’s record was a paltry 0-3 as interim coach, Lyons saw beyond the losses and recognized the leadership qualities and potential that lay beneath.

Of course, Lyons’s wish for Pitino to remain in Hawaii wouldn’t come to fruition. Following the conclusion of that tumultuous season, Pitino accepted an assistant coaching position under the legendary Jim Boeheim at Syracuse University, a move that would set the stage for his meteoric rise through the coaching ranks.

But Lyons’s prediction about Pitino becoming "something special" proved remarkably prescient. Pitino’s career has been nothing short of extraordinary, marked by success at multiple programs and a knack for turning struggling teams into national contenders. If Pitino manages to guide St. John’s University to the Final Four, he will cement his place in history as the first coach ever to achieve that feat with four different programs. The Red Storm, a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, will face No. 10 Arkansas in the second round, with a Final Four berth within reach.

The irony, of course, is that Pitino’s coaching career began in the relative obscurity of Hawaii, far from the spotlight of the Eastern Time Zone where he would later achieve his greatest triumphs. His early victories, amid the tropical breezes and unique culture of the islands, were a far cry from the pressure-cooker environments of Kentucky, Louisville, and now, St. John’s.

The circumstances surrounding Pitino’s brief tenure at Hawaii were far from ideal. He began the 1975-76 season as an assistant coach under Bruce O’Neil. However, O’Neil’s tenure quickly unraveled after the Honolulu Advertiser reported that several players had violated NCAA rules by appearing in a television commercial for a local car dealership alongside O’Neil.

O’Neil accepted responsibility for the commercial, and the university relieved him of his coaching duties in February, thrusting Pitino into the role of acting head coach. The Rainbow Warriors struggled initially under Pitino, losing their first three games – a two-point overtime loss to Long Beach State, a one-point overtime loss to San Jose State, and a 15-point defeat to UNLV.

It was during this difficult period that Lyons stepped forward, becoming one of Pitino’s earliest and most vocal supporters. In a column published on February 24, 1976, Lyons wrote, "It isn’t often that a coach gets a pat on the back for losing three out of his first three games, but here’s one. Rick Pitino, the acting coach of the UH Rainbows, has done a great job."

Lyons praised Pitino for taking charge and preventing the program from "tumbling into a very deep, very dark hole." He lauded the team’s "admirable finishes under rugged odds," recognizing the challenges Pitino faced in trying to stabilize a program reeling from scandal and uncertainty.

Lyons’s support for Pitino wasn’t simply based on blind faith. He had spoken to numerous Hawaii fans who shared his positive assessment of the young coach. One fan praised Pitino’s "cool demeanor" and his genuine interest in his players. Another lauded Pitino’s offensive strategies and the team’s improving defense. Of course, even in those pre-internet days, there were dissenting voices, with one fan expressing a desire to replace Pitino with the legendary John Wooden.

Lyons, who came to Hawaii in 1959, spent two decades as the Advertiser’s cartoonist, earning widespread acclaim for his work. His cartoons were even collected by President Lyndon Johnson. In 1973, he added sports columnist to his repertoire, showcasing his talent for both visual and written communication. He was remembered as a whimsical man who appreciated life’s simple pleasures.

Following Pitino’s departure, the NCAA released a report detailing a series of violations that had occurred during O’Neil’s tenure, including instances where Pitino had broken rules. The NCAA’s investigation revealed that Pitino had arranged for athletes to receive improper recruiting inducements and extra benefits, including free flights and used cars. Pitino was also cited for giving athletes free McDonald’s coupons.

The NCAA concluded that O’Neil and Pitino had "acted contrary to the principles of ethical conduct" and that their actions demonstrated a "knowing and willful effort" to operate the Hawaii basketball program in violation of NCAA rules. As a result, Hawaii basketball was placed on two years’ probation.

Pitino, while acknowledging that he had distributed McDonald’s coupons, denied any involvement in the other alleged violations. He maintained his innocence even when interviewing for the Kentucky coaching job in 1989, stating, "I didn’t make any mistakes (at Hawaii). I don’t care what anybody says."

Despite the controversy surrounding his brief tenure at Hawaii, Pitino’s career continued to flourish. He accepted the Kentucky job, leaving behind his NBA stint with the New York Knicks after two seasons.

Looking back, Harry Lyons’s prediction seems all the more remarkable. In a world of fleeting attention spans and instant judgments, Lyons saw something special in Rick Pitino, even when the evidence was far from conclusive. His willingness to champion a young coach facing adversity speaks to his keen eye for talent and his understanding of the human qualities that separate good coaches from great ones.

Lyons, the New York native who found his niche in the Hawaiian Islands, may not have lived to see the full extent of Pitino’s success, but his words serve as a reminder that sometimes, the most insightful predictions come from the most unexpected places. The legacy of Harry Lyons, the cartoonist who saw the future, lives on through Pitino’s Hall of Fame career.