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Is the Georgia men’s basketball job more desirable than it seems?

By Brad Berreman

MANHATTAN, KS - JANUARY 27: Georgia Bulldogs head coach Mark Fox looks on during the Big 12/SEC challenge game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Kansas State Wildcats, on Saturday January 27, 2018 at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, KS (Photo by Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
MANHATTAN, KS - JANUARY 27: Georgia Bulldogs head coach Mark Fox looks on during the Big 12/SEC challenge game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Kansas State Wildcats, on Saturday January 27, 2018 at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, KS (Photo by Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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After firing Mark Fox on Saturday, the University of Georgia seems to have top candidates lining up to replace him.

On Saturday, Georgia fired men’s basketball coach Mark Fox after nine seasons with a 163-133 record, two NCAA Tournament appearances and four 20-win seasons during his tenure. A mid-tier SEC basketball program didn’t seem likely to reel in big-name candidates, but the little over 24 hours since Fox was let go has shown otherwise.

Practically alongside the news of Fox’s dismissal, Mike DeCourcy of Sporting News reported former Indiana coach and current ESPN analyst Tom Crean would be interested in the job at Georgia. Crean should have his pick of significant job openings, including Pitt and UConn, so his possible interest in Georgia coming out so quickly is noteworthy.

Who his sources are can and should be questioned, but ESPN analyst Jay Williams went to Twitter Saturday night to offer up Rick Pitino as a candidate at Georgia. He then spoke again of Pitino to Georgia on College Gameday Sunday morning.

Pitino, of course, had a very successful run at Kentucky, so taking the Georgia job would be a return to the SEC and bring another big name coach to the conference.

Then, later on Sunday, Jon Rothstein of FanRag Sports and CBS Sports reported former Ohio State coach Thad Matta is a serious candidate at Georgia.

Matta recently re-surfaced in the coaching carousel with a reported meeting about the job at Ole Miss, who is looking to replace Andy Kennedy. But Georgia could be a slightly better fit for Matta, with his brother Greg the coach at North Cobb Christian School in Kennesaw, Georgia. Rothstein added that Matta has told confidants he is “intrigued” by the idea of coaching and living in the South.

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With a strong recruiting area and SEC-powered resources, Georgia could be (or even should be) pretty successful in men’s basketball. Fox couldn’t take the program to the next level, but three amply qualified candidates may be lining up to give it a try.