Arizona lands Calipari's Mini-Me?

[jAZ]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4035206

Updated: April 1, 2009, 10:39 PM ET
Report: Floyd to take Arizona jobComment Email Print Share ESPN.com news services

Tim Floyd will be named basketball coach at Arizona, Mark Asher of Sports 620 KTAR, ESPN's radio affiliate in Phoenix, is reporting according to multiple sources.

Floyd is meeting tonight with Arizona athletic director Jim Livengood to work out the final details of the deal and an announcement is expected Thursday, according to sources.

Floyd, 55, has spent the last four seasons at USC with an 85-50 record. He led the Trojans to three NCAA tournament appearances -- including the Sweet 16 in 2007.

Floyd previously coached in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls in 1999-2002 and the New Orleans Hornets in 2004.

He was also the head coach at Iowa State, New Orleans and Idaho.

Lute Olson retired as coach at Arizona prior to the start of the season. Arizona advanced to the Sweet 16 with interim coach Russ Pennell.

He likely brings with him 5-star center Renardo Sidney and 4-star SF Solomon Hill for 2009. That's huge since we don't really have any real 2009 commits with all of Lute's mess and our 3 best players likely gone to the NBA.

[jAZ]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

Not the "wow" hire that everyone was expecting, but Pastner seems to have been the best "playing it safe" choice possible.

Apparently Pastner wants to hire Carl Henry for the obv. package deal of getting Xavier and keeping C.J.

I don't think it's a "playing it safe" hire, because Pastner has never recruited without a HOF coach to package, and he's never been an in-game coach since AAU days (in high school).

He's a super-star potential, but he could be Steve Lavin @ UCLA.

As our search got desperate fans and former players started pushing Paster to be named head coach at Arizona.

I was against that in favor of the bottom 2nd tier and top 3rd tier names out there because of the risk factor (and I didn't think he could deliver his top prospects out to Arizona).

He's a much safer fit for Memphis though, because these guys were already planning to attend Memphis.

I'm rooting for him, though!

[jAZ]

Originally Posted by ArrowheadHawk

Is he even old enough to be a head coach?

He's a total prodigy, no joke. He was giving a coaching scholarship at Arizona. A roster spot taken from a basketball player and given to a kid who sucked ass as a player, simply because he was a coaching savant.

He developed a scoring system his freshman season that helped players to compete against each other to perfect their "little things" during practice in those (ie, correct positioning for rebounds, boxing out, shot selection, etc.) .

He worked with Mike Bibby so often that Bibby asked him to quit school as a Sophomore and become his personal coach when he was drafted.

He graduated college in 2.5 years and got his first masters degree in 3.5 years. All which coaching and traveling as a player.

Kid is a freak. Memphis is the perfect spot for him to gain experience (and risk destroying your program if he can't run a team).

[jAZ]

Originally Posted by Ultra Peanut

Seems that way. Talk about a sigh of relief.

A pretty credible guy in the Memphis basketball scene is saying that Penny might be on the staff in some capacity.

No shit?!

[WilliamTheIrish]

Steve Lavin got UCLA to 5 SS's and one EE. So if Pastner turnout to be "a Lavin", that ain't bad. (Although I wasn't sure if you were being serious).

[Ultra Peanut]

Originally Posted by jAZ

Word is Jim Rosborough, Lute's top assistant for 25 years will be joining Josh as his AHC.

Good call.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Originally Posted by Ultra Peanut

Good call.

Who is Jim Roseborough/Sean Miller/Josh Pastner/

[Ultra Peanut]

Originally Posted by WilliamTheIrish

Who is Jim Roseborough/Sean Miller/Josh Pastner/

Here's my AH imitation: Who is Penny Hardaway?

Apparently, Penny was interested in being an assistant a while back, but he and Calipari didn't really mesh well as people so it never happened.

[jAZ]

Originally Posted by WilliamTheIrish

Steve Lavin got UCLA to 5 SS's and one EE. So if Pastner turnout to be "a Lavin", that ain't bad. (Although I wasn't sure if you were being serious).

Quite serious. Lavin recruited all world talent. #1 class after #1 class. Started almost every year in the Top 5 or 10 based on talent alone.

But was very inconsistent throughout the season. He managed to pull it together for a couple wins against vastly less talented teams, in the tourney, but his teams too often played to the talent level and lost to bad teams.

He was a really good guy, who recruited like hell at UCLA, but wasn't the sort of teacher who could bring them together. He was fired after a disasterous year.

I'd be interested to see what he could do with a 2nd shot in a different environment. People grow, he has the potential to be a great coach.

[jAZ]

Originally Posted by Ultra Peanut

Here's my AH imitation: Who is Penny Hardaway?

Apparently, Penny was interested in being an assistant a while back, but he and Calipari didn't really mesh well as people so it never happened.

So it that a done deal, or just speculation at this point?

[KevB]

Originally Posted by jAZ

So it that a done deal, or just speculation at this point?

Speculation, but from a pretty solid source.

[Ultra Peanut]

Very well-sourced from a variety of places, but nothing official just yet.

And agreed on Lavin. UCLA should be the easiest job in the world, and that's how Howland is making it look. Lavin is a complete moron, which is why I think Pastner should fare much better.