Rick Barnes is new favorite to be UCLA’s next coach

After not getting Jamie Dixon, Rick Barnes has suddenly emerged as the favorite to be the next coach at UCLA.

UCLA’s search for Steve Alford’s permanent replacement has not looked good to this point, most recently with a reported attempt to get TCU to lower Jamie Dixon’s buyout. But according to Evan Daniels of 247 Sports on Sunday night, Tennessee coach Rick Barnes is a serious candidate for the Bruins. Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times went a step further, reporting Barnes is the new frontrunner for the job.

Barnes has an 88-50 record over four seasons at Tennessee, including a 31-6 mark this past season as the Volunteers reached the Sweet 16. Barnes was also just named 2019 Naismith Coach of the Year. Prior to his run at Tennessee Barnes spent 17 seasons at Texas, highlighted by a Final Four run in 2003.

According to Bolch, Barnes has interviewed with UCLA officials, with the same source conveying the school’s interest in Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger. But it seems Barnes will be the guy, barring any last second snags. Under a contract extension Barnes signed with Tennessee last fall, his buyout is $5 million. Dixon’s $8 million buyout at TCU was an issue for UCLA, so Barnes’ being lower helps explain their interest in him.

Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin has been a top rumored candidate for UCLA and as of Sunday, according to Bolch, he hadn’t been informed that is candidacy has ended.

Another school’s interest is often used as a leverage play for a college coach to get more money and/or more years from their current school, and it’s easy to dismiss the Barnes-to-UCLA talk as that. But multiple reports point to there being real mutual interest, and acceptance of an offer a formality on Barnes’ end. So after a coaching search that has looked bungled and messy UCLA seems to set to land a good candidate, and one in Barnes that didn’t seem at all inclined to leave his current post.