Rick Pitino admitted that he deserved to get fired from Louisville in 2017 due to a lack of leadership, though maintained he had no knowledge of paying recruits.

Pitino was recently named head coach at Iona after a short stint in Greece.

"Looking back on it now, I deserved to be fired by Louisville. Was I innocent of any wrongdoing? Yes I was, but I was the leader and I deserved to be fired. I need to move on and that's what I probably have learned the most," said Pitino.

Pitino was fired following allegations that the basketball program paid $100,000 to the family of a recruit. Pitino said he was not aware of the scheme.

Pitino added that Iona will be his final job, partly due to a large buyout clause.

"I don't have a very large contract with Iona. I think it can be put on one page. But I can tell you right now; the only school that can afford me with my buyout is Fort Knox University. I don't think with the type of buyout that I have and I'm even too embarrassed to tell you the number it's so scary -- Iona is definitely my last stop. I almost laugh at the buyout it's so comical."