Legends from the Providence Friars will return for a roundtable on July 28.
Five former coaches, a slew of former players, and a point guard turned top basketball pundit will headline a historic Providence basketball event on July 28.
The star-studded roster for the Friar Legacy Coaches Round Table was publicly unveiled on Thursday afternoon. Ed Cooley, Rick Pitino, Rick Barnes, Pete Gillen, Tim Welsh, Billy Donovan, and Doris Burke will be the headliners at Alumni Hall.
Burke will chair a discussion about how the school influenced each of their careers and the impact they may have had on one another. Proceeds will help Friends of Friar Basketball and be divided among three main causes: assisting former players, community projects, and paying new NCAA permits for athlete name, image, and likeness rights.
Pitino reached the second Final Four in school history in 1987, and Donovan was his star at point guard. Both went on to win a pair of national championships as college coaches — Donovan with Florida in 2006 and 2007, Pitino with Kentucky and Louisville in 1996 and 2013, respectively. They’ve also combined to lead five different NBA franchises, with Donovan currently at the helm of the Chicago Bulls.
Barnes succeeded Pitino and led Providence to three NCAA Tournament bids from 1988-94. His final season included the first of two Big East tournament championships for the Friars and put Barnes on the national radar. He’s reached March Madness a combined 26 times with Providence, Clemson, Texas and Tennessee.
Gillen was hired away from Xavier to replace Barnes and authored another March highlight for the program. The Friars advanced to the Elite Eight in 1997, upsetting Duke along the way. That was one of nine NCAA Tournament appearances for Gillen with the Musketeers, Providence and Virginia.
Welsh led the Friars to March Madness in 2001 and 2004, and that second trip came with a No. 5 seed in the St. Louis Regional. Providence has eclipsed that only once in its other postseason trips, doing so thanks to a No. 4 seed in March. Welsh was hired away from Iona, which is where Pitino currently serves as head coach.
Cooley enjoyed the finest season of his career to date in 2021-22. The Friars won a first conference regular season title, advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time in 25 years and qualified for a sixth NCAA Tournament in his 11 seasons. Cooley’s host of postseason awards included the Naismith Coach of the Year — he’s the first in program history to secure it.
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