Odds to Be Subsequent Arizona Basketball Coach After Sean Miller Fired – Damon Stoudamire a Heavy Favourite

Pacific head coach Damon Stoudamire shouts to his gamers in the course of the first half of an NCAA faculty basketball recreation towards Gonzaga in Spokane, Wash., Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020. (AP Picture/Younger Kwak)

• Arizona fired Sean Miller after he had a 302-139 file in 12 seasons as its males’s basketball coach
• Pacific coach and former Arizona All-American guard Damon Stoudamire is favored to switch Miller
• A have a look at the percentages for Stoudamire and different candidates might be discovered under

Sean Miller compiled a 302-109 file in 12 seasons as Arizona’s coach. He additionally led the Wildcats to seven NCAA Tournaments, 5 appearances within the Candy 16 and three berths within the Elite Eight.

But that didn’t cease the college from firing Miller earlier this week following a 17-9 season through which Arizona had a self-imposed postseason ban in response to the NCAA’s rule infractions investigation that has lasted almost 4 years.

Arizona has missed the every of the final two Huge Dances, although, and was eradicated within the first spherical in 2018. Then there may be that matter with the NCAA hanging over this system.

Nonetheless, there are many candidates for the emptiness in Tucson.

Odds to Be Subsequent Arizona Basketball Head Coach

Odds as of April ninth

Fan Favourite is the Favourite

Pacific coach and former Arizona All-American Damon Stoudamire is the favourite to switch Miller. Hiring Stoudamire is sensible on many ranges.

Stoudamire, most significantly, he has confirmed to be a very good coach throughout his 5 seasons at Pacific. He led the Tigers from 11 wins in 2016-17 to 14 in every of the subsequent two seasons earlier than this system broke by with a 23-10 file within the 2019-20.

UNLV 35 – Pacific 29 on the Half

Coach Damon Stoudamire is to not pleased! pic.twitter.com/KDd5FU2HhP

— 𝙑𝙀𝙂𝘼𝙎 𝙎𝙋𝙊𝙍𝙏𝙎 𝘿𝘼𝙄𝙇𝙔 (@VSportsDaily) December 19, 2019

Although Pacific slipped to 9-9 within the just-completed season affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the .500 file did nothing to decrease Stoudamire’s popularity. His total file is 71-77.

Hiring Stoudamire would additionally seemingly be a giant hit with the alumni and followers. In 4 seasons with the Wildcats from 1991-95, he had 1,849 factors and 663 assists and was a consensus All-America choice as a senior.

The Gonzaga Issue

One title getting a variety of play within the rumor mill is Gonzaga assistant coach Tommy Lloyd.

As Mark Few’s right-hand man, Lloyd has been a giant motive for Gonzaga’s sustained success. The Bulldogs simply accomplished a 31-1 season that ended a loss in need of perfection once they have been crushed by Baylor within the nationwide championship recreation.

Meet Tommy Lloyd: Worldwide recruiting extraordinaire, Mark Few’s chief lieutenant and a person who’s performed a big position in every step of Gonzaga’s evolution to nationwide energy, @GregBishopSI writes https://t.co/MbcEfDmQWA

— Sports activities Illustrated (@SInow) April 2, 2021

Lloyd is taken into account one of many high worldwide recruiters within the enterprise. That would turn out to be useful in serving to persuade a few of Arizona’s present gamers to remain in this system. The Wildcats’ roster included seven foreign-born gamers in 2020-21.

The phrase in faculty basketball circles is that Lloyd would solely depart Spokane for a plum job. Regardless of the latest issues, Arizona remains to be thought of a plum job, actually at the very least within the West.

And Lloyd’s son, Liam, performs faculty ball at Grand Canyon in Phoenix.

The Alumni Group

Like Stoudamire, the foursome of Mike Simon, Luke Walton, Jason Terry and Josh Pastner are former Arizona gamers.

Simon is at the moment an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers and Walton is the pinnacle coach of the Sacramento Kings. Terry is on Arizona’s employees as an assistant. Pastner guided Georgia Tech to the NCAA Event this yr.

If Arizona decides to remain throughout the faculty head teaching ranks, then Pastner needs to be a severe candidate. He has a 249-149 file in 12 seasons at Memphis and Georgia Tech.

Josh Pastner could fiddle and win Soccer man of the week with this transfer pic.twitter.com/cilg8BoiFR

— Huge Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) December 10, 2020

A latest pattern in faculty basketball is hiring coaches with NBA expertise. The considering goes that gamers need coaches who will help them develop their abilities for the subsequent degree.

That might support Simon and Walton – if he’s keen to stroll away from a head teaching place. And Terry had a 19-year profession as an NBA participant earlier than retiring following the 2017-18 season.

The final word fantasy for Arizona followers is the college luring Steve Kerr to his alma mater from the Golden State Warriors. Nonetheless, that’s so unlikely that there aren’t odds on Kerr.

Eyeing Different Faculty’s Coaches

Three present faculty head coaches is also within the combine, in keeping with the oddsmakers. They’re BYU’s Mark Pope, Arkansas’ Eric Musselman and Baylor’s Scott Drew.

Drew looks as if a longshot to stroll away from Baylor proper after profitable a nationwide title. Nonetheless, Pope and Musselman is likely to be persuaded to depart their present jobs.

Eric Musselman is PUMPED about his group advancing pic.twitter.com/bhoKDZTNLp

— CBS Sports activities (@CBSSports) March 22, 2021

Pope is a West Coast man, a local of Bellevue, Wash. Musselman will not be essentially wedded to the Razorbacks after simply two seasons in Fayetteville and he was an assistant below Miller whereas making the transition from NBA to varsity coach.

Who Will get the Gig?

Stoudamire appears essentially the most logical selection for the job, although there isn’t a lot worth in betting him at +150.

Trying additional down the board, Walton is an intriguing selection at +600. Although most coaches would by no means depart an NBA head teaching gig for a school one.

Walton claims he has no curiosity.

Sacramento Kings coach Luke Walton, following a uncommon observe day together with his group, says he has “no curiosity” within the head teaching job together with his alma mater Arizona Wildcats.

FULL VIDEO: https://t.co/AuZVFMDH3b pic.twitter.com/c8qGqIaQ6M

— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) April 8, 2021

However…Walton doesn’t have nice job safety in Sacramento. The Kings are 22-30 and 12^th within the Western Convention.

Arizona can be Walton’s alma mater and that actually may tug at his heartstrings no matter what he’s saying publicly.

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