Larry Brown ‘blindsided’ by Lakers link, committed to SMU
By Mike Dyce
The Los Angeles Lakers are looking for a new head coach and various names have been linked to the job. That list includes SMU Mustangs head coach Larry Brown, who has had success about both the collegiate and NBA levels.
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According to the Dallas Morning News, Brown as “blindsided” by his name being brought up in association with the Lakers head coaching vacancy.
“My thing is, SMU gave me this great opportunity and we’ve got a lot of talented kids who are interested in coming here and I want to be here,” Brown said. “They took a risk when they hired me and gave me a wonderful opportunity.”
Brown also mentioned the incoming talent to the program, one that could crack the top ten in the preseason rankings. Brown kept much of last year’s roster and is adding five-star prospect Emmanuel Mudiay and Xavier transfer Justin Martin to the mix.
“I’ve got Emmanuel coming here and we’ve got a lot of the best players in the country interested in coming here,” Brown said. “I’m just thankful to be in this situation.”
Brown is known to wander from job to job and not plant his roots, but Brown suggested staying at SMU isn’t necessarily about a job so much as it is about family.
“Everybody always asks me if I am staying and my standard line is, I want to watch my kids graduate from SMU,” Brown said.
Brown’s son L.J. will be a sophomore next year, so that buys SMU three years at least right?