Rick Pitino Says His ’96 Kentucky Team Is Better Than Current One

On a recent edition of The Dan Patrick Show, Rick Pitino was asked a question that resembles a type of question that many, many coaches are being asked these days.

Pitino was asked how 2015 Kentucky compares to some of the other great teams in college hoops history, like, for example, the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers team which was the last one to go undefeated.

While he didn't mention the Indiana team, Pitino did come up with a team that he believes would beat this Kentucky team.

It was his own Kentucky team from 1996 that went 34-2 and won the national title. That Wildcat squad won all six of its tournament games by an average of 21.5 points that year. That team featured five future NBA players.

Pitino didn't say this to stir the pot, I'm certain. That's his honest opinion. It's actually an opinion I've heard from many folks who analyze the sport. And, to be honest, I'm in this camp, too.

But, what of it?

As Pitino also said, this Kentucky team is a great basketball team. They are unselfish, provide a mind-blowing clinic on defense, and have an offense that appears to be catching up with that defense.

They are 34-0 and have about four more future pros than that '96 team.

But again, it doesn't matter. This is all fun. And I don't think there's a diehard Big Blue fan out there who be very quick to jump down Pitino's throat over this answer because he is, after all, talking about another Kentucky team.

Or maybe they would just because Pitino said it. There is always that.