Holton returns to Portland to lead Pilots
By Daily Bruin Staff
April 3, 2001 9:00 p.m.
 Michael Holton
By Chris Umpierre
Daily Bruin Staff
With intentions of giving Bruin assistant coach Michael Holton
the Portland basketball head coaching position, Pilot Athletic
Director Joe Etzel nearly caused a car accident.
“I got a call from the athletic director and he asked me,
“˜How does the term head coach sound?'” Holton
said. “I was so excited. I was in my car so I said,
“˜Let me pull over first because I didn’t want to
wreck.'”
Holton, who began his coaching experience with the Pilots in
1994, has a lot of connections to the Pacific Northwest. He was
appointed head coach of the University of Portland men’s
basketball program late Tuesday. He was offered a five-year
contract.
The 39-year old Holton, who starred for UCLA in the early 1980s,
leaves Westwood after five years as a Bruin assistant coach. During
his tenure, he helped UCLA earn five consecutive NCAA Tournament
berths, including one Elite Eight and two Sweet Sixteen
appearances.
As the team’s recruiting coordinator he was also largely
responsible for the Bruins landing the nation’s No. 1 (1998)
and No. 2 (1997) recruiting classes.
Holton said it’s been his dream to be a head coach ever
since watching former UCLA head coach Larry Brown inspire him and
his teammates during his Bruin career (1980-83). Over the past two
years, he felt he was ready to lead a program.
“I think I could have coached at UCLA for a long
time,” he said. “It’s a very special place. I
didn’t feel edgy that it was my time to leave, like I had
this window of opportunity that I needed to hurry up and become a
head coach.
“I just think that at some point I started to feel like I
felt prepared,” he added.
The fact that the position was in his second home of Portland
made his decision to leave his alma mater that much easier.
The Seattle native played two years of his six-year NBA career
with the Portland Trailblazers (1986-88), his daughter Chanelle was
born in Portland and he also bought his first home in the city.
UCLA head coach Steve Lavin said he was ecstatic for Holton.
“Our staff is excited for Michael to have an opportunity
to run his own basketball program,” he said.
“He’s been a valued member of our coaching staff during
our past five years of success.”
Lavin said he’s in no hurry to replace Holton. It might be
a month before a replacement is named.
According to sources close to the program, three former Bruins
are at the top of the list for the job: Gerald Madkins (1988-92),
Cameron Dollar (1994-97) and David Greenwood (1976-79).
