WATCH: Rick Pitino returns to Kentucky and cries after watching fans' support at Big Blue Madness

Former Kentucky coach Rick Pitino returned to Rupp Arena on Friday night to attend Big Blue Madness. Pitino was met with a warm ovation from the Wildcats crowd and was seen shredding tears after receiving such a positive welcome.

The current St. John's coach had a storied tenure at Kentucky, leading the Wildcats to three Final Four appearances and national championship glory in 1996. He also guided them to five SEC Tournament championships.

Rick Pitino was overcome with emotion during his surprise return to Lexington this weekend as the coach struggled to hold back tears while watching fans shower him with applause.

"I am so happy to be back," Rick said. "Before I pack it in, in coaching, I want to go back to Camelot for one more time and there's no way I could return better. This is one of the best nights I've had in a long time because I visited all my players, I visited fans who made me happy for every single day for eight years."

"I wanted to walk out with everybody else, and...but, it almost made me cry, and I was crying now, but pretty special," he said.

The Big Blue Madness is an annual celebration to kick off the new season for Kentucky basketball. It is the school's tradition of bringing out former players and coaches at the event with Pitino being the last person to appear on Friday.

Earlier this week, Pitino addressed the rumors saying that he will be at the Kentucky-Vanderbilt football game on Saturday at Kroger Field. However, no one expected that Pitino would also show up at Rupp Arena.

Rick Pitino has words of praise for Kentucky coach Mark Pope

Mark Pope, who joined Kentucky in April, was one of the key players on Rick Pitino's championship-winning Wildcats team. Pope was the team captain then and is now starting his first season as the head coach of the University of Kentucky.

Pitino was full of praise for his former player and backed him to succeed with the Wildcats.

"He's the most selfless, humble young man I've ever coached in my lifetime," Pitino said at the Big Blue Madness, referring to Pope. "One of the great, great examples of what Kentucky basketball is all about. Mark Pope is going to lead you to greatness in every sense of the word."

After eight years in Lexington, Rick Pitino left Kentucky to join the Boston Celtics in the NBA. He then came back to college basketball with Louisville, where he coached for 16 years, winning the national championship in 2013.

Unfortunately, that title has been vacated by the NCAA due to a scandal involving their former director of basketball operations.