Bennett favored to land job at WSU Cougars to make announcement today

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Mar 29, 2003

ASSOCIATED PRESS

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Washington State athletic officials have scheduled a news conference today to announce a successor to fired men's basketball coach Paul Graham.

Former Wisconsin coach Dick Bennett is widely thought to be coming out of retirement to try to turn around the Cougars' program.

WSU sports information director Rod Commons declined to say Friday whether Bennett, who walked away from the successful Wisconsin program in November 2000, had agreed to contract terms.

Athletic director Jim Sterk met with Bennett in Spokane at the NCAA West Regionals last weekend, Commons said.

A source close to the WSU basketball program, who asked not to be named, told The Associated Press that Bennett had called or met with some of the Cougars players last week.

"I've been told not to talk to anyone about that," sophomore forward Shami Gill said when contacted Thursday at the apartment he shares with teammate Thomas Kelati. Gill said he was told to refer questions to Commons.

Bennett compiled a 93-69 record with Wisconsin. His record as a head coach over 25 years is 453-258, including 22-win seasons in 1999- 2000.

Few may be a fit for UCLA

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Speculation is heating up that Gonzaga coach Mark Few might be hired away by a higher-profile program.

Much of the talk centers on UCLA, where coach Steve Lavin was fired after the first losing season in 55 years.

Gonzaga athletic director Mike Roth has not heard from UCLA officials, but he's expecting he will.

"I'm certainly not going to be surprised if he calls," Roth said Thursday of UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero. "I mean, if I'm the athletic director at UCLA, why wouldn't Mark Few be on my list?

"And if other (quality) jobs open up, it's going to be the same with them, too."

Kareem wants Columbia job

NEW YORK -- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is interested in returning to New York City as Columbia University's basketball coach.

"It would be wonderful," Abdul-Jabbar told the Daily News on Thursday night in San Antonio.

The 55-year-old Abdul-Jabbar, in San Antonio as an analyst for CBS's NCAA Tournament coverage, confirmed that he interviewed with Columbia officials this week.

"It would be the perfect progression for me," he said. "But I won't make any comment right now."

The Hall of Famer grew up in New York, starring at Power Memorial Academy before playing at UCLA and in the NBA.