Here’s a story about how a Hall-of-Fame basketball coach and a successful businessman – both New Yorkers – found faith and friendship through Diocese of Owensboro priest Fr. Ed Bradley. For legendary basketball coach Rick Pitino and successful local businessman Joe Iracane, Bradley was much more than a priest. He was a friend, mentor, and an integral part of their lives.
Bradley died on November 30, 2024, at the age of 81.
From his service to the homeless in Owensboro to his role as chaplain for Pitino’s basketball programs at the universities of Kentucky and Louisville, Pitino and Iracane most remember Bradley for his unwavering faith, compassion, and ability to connect with people from all walks of life.
Pitino first met Bradley in the early 1990s through Iracane, who was chairman of the Board of Regents at Western Kentucky University at the time. The introduction came during Pitino’s tenure as head coach at the University of Kentucky.
“Joe brought him to a game and introduced me,” Pitino said. “I said, ‘Father, we need a little luck. How about sitting on the bench?’ And from there, we became very close.”
That initial meeting turned into a lasting friendship. Bradley was a regular presence at games, and afterward, Pitino said the two had a routine they always followed.
“After every game, Father would stay at my house,” Pitino said. “First, we would have to watch the film after the game; then, we’d have a bite to eat and get back to my house around midnight. Then, I would make him a nightcap because I was exhausted.”
Pitino quickly learned that ending the conversation would take more than a stiff drink, though, as the two would talk about everything but basketball – politics, religion, and life.
“We’d stay up until 3 in the morning, and by 5, he’d be on the road back to Owensboro or Henderson for daily Mass,” Pitino said.
Pitino described Bradley as someone who could make anyone feel like the most important person in the world.
“He made everybody a better person,” Pitino said. “He baptized all my children, married them, and confirmed them. He was very much part of the Pitino family.”
Bradley’s influence extended beyond Pitino’s family to his teams, where he became a beloved figure among players and staff.
“He meant a lot to the team,” Pitino said. “He was part of two championships, in ’96 with Kentucky and later with Louisville.”
Current UK head coach Mark Pope played for Pitino at Kentucky. In a statement on X after Bradley’s passing, Pope echoed that sentiment, referring to Bradley as the epitome of “quiet, humble, compassionate, selfless service.”
But Bradley’s connection with Pitino wasn’t without humor. Pitino recounted a memorable moment when he took Bradley’s advice to return to Kentucky as head coach of Louisville.
“Father told me, ‘They’ll welcome you back with open arms.’ I said, ‘Father, when I walk into Rupp Arena, they’re not going to welcome me with open arms.’ When I walked into Rupp Arena as Louisville’s coach, 24,000 people booed me. I turned to him and said, ‘Father, you’re a really, really smart man, but don’t make any more basketball comments.’”
Iracane, who introduced Fr. Bradley to Pitino, credited the priest with bringing him back to the Church. Iracane was raised Catholic and was the assistant football coach at Owensboro Senior High School when Bradley first approached him.
“I was disenchanted with what happened with the Catholic Church and the Ecumenical Council, so I was limiting my visits to church,” Iracane said. “Father found out about it and came to my office, sat me down, and said, ‘You influence young people. You need to come back.’ So I did what he said.”
And so began a friendship that spanned decades and was rooted in mutual respect and shared values. Iracane assisted Bradley in establishing the Daniel Pitino Shelter, named in honor of Pitino’s late son. Bradley spearheaded the initiative, which provides emergency housing and a soup kitchen for Owensboro’s homeless.
“Father never turned anyone away,” Iracane said. “He was a man’s man – a priest, but also someone who spoke honestly and lived authentically. He made faith accessible.”
Bradley’s dedication to Owensboro was unwavering.
“He always said Owensboro was the greatest town,” Pitino shared. “I’d joke with him about the long drive to the airport, but nothing could change his mind.”
Whether he was officiating weddings, supporting his basketball teams, or serving those in need, Pitino and Iracane said Bradley left an indelible mark on everyone he met.
Iracane said his legacy lives on through the Daniel Pitino Shelter, the lives he touched, and the enduring friendships he cultivated.
“Fr. Bradley filled a hole in all our lives. He was there for everything – weddings, funerals, good times, and hard times,” Iracane said. “We prayed together often and had a lot of fun with the Pitino Shelter. He was very giving and understanding, and whatever the circumstance, he never turned away a person.”
Pitino also reflected on Bradley’s love for the community and the shelter.
“He loved Owensboro, and the Daniel Pitino Shelter was something he was very proud of, and it was something that was a labor of love,” he said. “There was no time limit to his love and his faith in people. He was on call 24 hours a day.”
Bradley’s home parish where he grew up, St. Anthony in Clarkson, KY, will host a visitation from 10 a.m. to noon Friday, followed by his burial at St. Anthony Cemetery.
