Pitino Reportedly Set on UNLV Job
B O S T O N, Jan. 11, 2001 -- Just three days after stepping down as head coachof the Boston Celtics, Rick Pitino appeared set to take over theembattled program at UNLV, according to published reports.
"It's not set yet, but this looks like a good situation,"Pitino told the Boston Herald. "I've talked to people about thejob, and they say it's a gem."
"I could take it, I really could," Pitino told The BostonGlobe.
UNLV president Carol Harter refused to confirm the negotiationswith Pitino. Harter issued a statement saying it is"counterproductive for the university to partake in day-to-dayspeculation" about a new coach.
She also said she was "enormously pleased" at how coach MaxGood has done since taking over for Bill Bayno last month. Harterfired Bayno after the NCAA put the university's basketball programon probation for recruiting violations.
Deal Could Be Finalized Within 10 Days
Pitino said he would take the job, if sanctions against theprogram aren't too onerous. He took the Kentucky job when theschool was on a two-year probation and he said he doesn't want arepeat of that.
The deal could be finalized in the next 10 days, the Providence(R.I.) Journal reported. UNLV could pay Pitino over$2-million peryear, making him the highest paid coach in the college game, asource told the Journal.
Pitino said he didn't have a whole lot of knowledge about theUNLV program until he spoke with Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski andESPN basketball analyst Dick Vitale in the last couple of days.
"They both think it's an ideal job for me," Pitino told theJournal. "They think UNLV is a sleeping giant and could be broughtback to where it was in the '80s, only this time with integrity.They both thought it was the kind of program I could quickly put myimprint on."
UCLA Out of the Running
Meanwhile, Pitino called UCLA basketball coach Steve Lavin onWednesday to say that he's not interested in Lavin's job.
The call came a day after UCLA athletic director Peter Dalissaid he has had two phone conversations with Pitino in the pastmonth, which surprised Lavin.
Dalis said the conversations, made at the request of a mutualfriend, were brief and "none of them had anything to do with theUCLA job in particular."