Jamie Dixon reportedly out of consideration to be next UCLA men’s basketball coach
UCLA men’s basketball’s search for its next coach has gone on for over 90 days. Steve Alford was fired Dec. 31 and TCU’s Jamie Dixon is reportedly no longer an option for the Bruins.
(Daily Bruin file photo)
By Hanson Wang
April 5, 2019 4:59 p.m.
There will be no UCLA men’s basketball coach for the time being.
The Los Angeles Times reported TCU coach Jamie Dixon is no longer in consideration for the Bruins’ coaching vacancy due to the two schools’ inability to reach an agreement on Dixon’s buyout.
A UCLA spokesman said he did not have any updates regarding the coaching search.
UCLA Athletics did not have any updates regarding the coaching search.
On Wednesday, Go Joe Bruin reported that UCLA and Dixon were nearing an agreement after the Horned Frogs lost in the semifinals of the National Invitation Tournament.
Multiple former UCLA basketball players later tweeted congratulations to Dixon on securing the job, including Matt Barnes and Kristaan Johnson.
Best of luck to Coach Dixon #GoBruins
— Kristaan Johnson (@PointForwardPro) April 5, 2019
Various outlets also reported that the search committee – consisting of Athletic Director Dan Guerrero, Associate Athletic Director Josh Rebholz, Golden State Warriors General Manager Bob Myers and Associate Athletic Director Chris Carlson – offered Kentucky coach John Calipari a six-year contract in the range of $45 million.
Dixon has compiled a 396-164 record in his coaching career consisting of 13 years at Pittsburgh and the past three seasons at TCU. He has a total of 12 NCAA tournament appearances as a coach but has never advanced to a Final Four.
As a former member of the Horned Frogs men’s basketball team, Dixon averaged 8.1 points per game on 45.5% field goal shooting in 109 games.
With Dixon no longer a candidate, Cincinnati’s Mick Cronin becomes UCLA’s top target, according to an LA Times report. Other potential coaches include Texas Tech’s Chris Beard, Virginia’s Tony Bennett, St. Mary’s Randy Bennett, Texas’ Shaka Smart and UCLA alum and former Phoenix Suns coach Earl Watson.
Beard and Tony Bennett will coach in Saturday’s Final Four games, with a chance to face each other in the championship Monday.
Randy Bennett’s Gaels upset the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the West Coast Conference tournament to earn a bid to the NCAA tournament, where they lost in the first round to Villanova.
Smart’s Longhorns won the NIT by defeating Lipscomb 81-66 on Thursday, two days after besting TCU in the semifinals.
Watson is currently taking classes at UCLA to finish his undergraduate degree, which would be a prerequisite for the head coaching position.
Leadership doesn’t react it responds! All of these inner combating UCLA tweets from Bruins are classless. If you knew Coach Wooden like me then you know he’d be disgusted & most of you would be quiet! Don’t forget who we are! Best of luck in the search! #4sUp #back2myhomework — Earl J Watson (@Earl_Watson) April 4, 2019
