| | By Andy Katz
ESPN.com
TUCSON, Ariz. -- All five starters might bolt for the NBA at the end of the season, but Arizona coach Lute Olson isn't going anywhere.
Any talk about Olson walking away after a potential second national title isn't true. Olson is as committed to coaching Arizona for the foreseeable future as he ever has been in Tucson.
"I feel great," said Olson, who turned 66 this year. "I enjoy this group of guys. If I didn't enjoy the people we have that would be one thing, but they're fun people to be around. They're very in tune with one and another. The chemistry will be excellent. Other people talk about how much longer I'll be involved, but I've always said I'll be involved as long as I enjoy what I'm doing and am effective at what I'm doing. As of right now, neither one is a problem."
|  | | Lute Olson has no plans to leave the sidelines any time soon. But when he does, look for part of his Arizona "family" to take over the program.
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Olson had to weather the news that his wife, Bobbi, had cancer a year ago. But Bobbi continues to do well with her treatment. Those close to Olson say his commitment to Bobbi, and their family who are almost all in the Tucson area, and to the Arizona basketball program is what defines him.
And he's showing no sign of slowing down in his drive to keep the Wildcats near the top of college basketball, and possibly win a second national title in four years. Top 25 recruit Rick Rickert (Duluth, Minn.) was in Tucson Friday for a recruiting visit. Rickert is down to Arizona, Minnesota and Duke. Signing Rickert would be the latest in a long line of high school all-Americans who have committed to Arizona.
But it's another example why Olson isn't going anywhere, soon.
"He's as relaxed as I've seen him," said assistant Jay John. "His energy level is as high as it's ever been. He wants to win badly and keep this thing going."
A year ago, Olson began the year with what looked like a team in transition. The Wildcats were starting freshmen guards, had a center who transferred the year before, and the two returning starters were sophomores. The Wildcats opened the season by winning the Preseason NIT and eventually earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
"With the talent he's bringing in, he doesn't really have to coach for the next three or four years," Arizona senior center Loren Woods said. "He could sit at the end of the bench and let all the assistants do the work."
Eventually, Olson would want one of them to replace him. The consensus buzz nationally is that once Olson steps down, Arizona athletics director Jim Livengood would ask good friend Kelvin Sampson of Oklahoma to move to Tucson. But that's not Olson's plan, nor may it be Livengood's or Sampson's choice.
Olson resurrected Arizona, similar to Mike Krzyzewski putting Duke back atop college basketball. Krzyzewski made it clear by hiring only former Duke players as assistants that his successor will stay in the Duke family. North Carolina didn't stray from Dean Smith's family tree when it went from Bill Guthridge to Matt Doherty in June. The Tar Heels only talked to Smith disciples.
A similar situation will likely occur in Tucson with longtime associate head coach Jim Rosborough becoming the next Guthridge. Rosborough, who is 55, worked with Olson for seven years at Iowa and the past 12 with him at Arizona. Rosborough could be the bridge to the next disciple off Olson's family tree, maybe in 10 years. He even said that's fine with him, whenever Olson retires.
"This program is in good shape whenever the time comes for me to get out of it," said Olson, who coaches now on Lute Olson Court at the McKale Center. "You won't see a drop off. It's a great arena and a great place to play with packed houses all the time. With the current staff I have right now, all the pieces fit together now. Jim Rosborough knows the program inside and out. When the time comes, obviously I'd love to see it stay within the family."
Olson wants to cultivate his former players as coaches, too. He created a position for Josh Pastner this season as an undergraduate assistant coach. Pastner is a former walk-on, who's been a glorified coach the past three years. Pastner will doff his long game shorts and sweat top for a suit next to Olson on the bench. Pastner will be in charge of charting plays and helping with scouting. He'll be in the huddles and all the meetings with Rosborough and chief recruiting coaches John and Rodney Tention.
"There is a little bit of danger if you in-breed too much," Olson said. "I'd like to get some outside opinions also. But as we have the opportunity now with Josh Pastner staying on the staff as a student assistant, we're at a point where we'd like to have former players involved. The biggest problem is so many players gone to the league."
Krzyzewski has seen his Duke offspring go into coaching. Steve Wojciechowski and Chris Collins are on staff, while Quin Snyder (Missouri) and Tommy Amaker (Seton Hall) are at high-profile Division I schools. But Olson doesn't have the same lineage.
His former assistants are either out of college (Kevin O'Neill and Phil Johnson with the Knicks and Bulls, respectively), or not in line to succeed Olson (Jessie Evans at Louisiana-Lafayette). The potential coaching list of former Arizona players are all still being paid to play: Sean Elliott, Steve Kerr, Jason Terry, Mike Bibby, Miles Simon and Michael Dickerson.
"It's not that we don't want players here, but we don't have them available," Olson said. "If we have guys who don't make it (to the NBA), or are done, then I'd like this to remain in the family. There is a great family feeling here and I'd hate to lose that."
Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com. | |
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