Pitino Says Gorgui Dieng Will Participate In Senior Day Festivities

Rick Pitino stated multiple times following Monday night's win over Cincinnati that he expects junior Gorgui Dieng to participate in Louisville's Senior Day festivities before and after Saturday's game over Notre Dame.

"If he is a first-round draft pick, then he will go," Pitino said Monday night. "He will not sign an agent, but he will come out. He has given us more than we have asked for. It is in his best interest to come out, and I think he is ready. I think somebody is going to get very lucky with a special basketball player with tremendous growth. He has been great for us. I have enjoyed coaching him so much. It is going to be a very difficult Senior Night. I have had some difficult ones, but this may be the most difficult."

Pitino added that Dieng's father was in favor of Gorgui coming out early, and that the center was "ready."

When asked about Pitino's comments, Dieng was less committal, saying "I don't know" and "I don't care" about whether or not he'll be receive the Francisco Garcia treatment and be honored as a senior a year ahead of schedule.

"I'm just trying to focus on the next game," Dieng said. "That's all I'm gonna think about. That's all that matters right now."

You can't just pop this s--t on me out of the blue. I've go five days to prepare for Senior Day Gorgui. I need five years.