Arizona basketball: Wildcats steal Gonzaga’s coach-in-waiting for HC gig
By Scott Rogust
The Arizona basketball program will hire Gonzaga coach-in-waiting Tommy Lloyd as their next head coach.
At the conclusion of the 2021 NCAA Tournament, the Arizona Wildcats fired head coach Sean Miller after 12-seasons with the program. After a set of interviews, Arizona has the man who they believe will lead the team to success.
According to Stadium, Arizona is set to hire Gonzaga assistant and coach-in-waiting Tommy Lloyd to become the university’s next head coach.
BREAKING: Arizona is set to hire Gonzaga Coach-in-Waiting Tommy Lloyd, sources told @stadium.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) April 14, 2021
HUGE upside. Terrific recruiter, has had major coaching responsibilities with Mark Few, and helped build the Zags program into what it is.
Arizona set to hire Gonzaga assistant Tommy Lloyd to be their next head coach
Stadium’s Jeff Goodman reported that Lloyd had interviewed with Arizona this past Saturday via a Zoom call. Other candidates that were in the mix for the gig included Pacific head coach Damon Stoudamire, Georgia Tech head coach Josh Pastner and Los Angeles Lakers assistant Miles Simon, per Goodman.
Three names in the Arizona family that should be in mix are:
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) April 7, 2021
Pacific coach Damon Stoudamire, Lakers assistant/former Arizona assistant Miles Simon and Georgia Tech coach Josh Pastner.
One name outside the family that has gotten some pub lately: Gonzaga assistant Tommy Lloyd.
Lloyd joined Gonzaga first as an administrative assistant in 2000, where he became an assistant under head coach Mark Few in 2001. Lloyd had been such an instrumental part of the program’s success, that the school designated Lloyd as the head coach in waiting whenever Few decided to retire from the sidelines. With Few giving no intentions of retiring any time soon, Lloyd decided to jump on the Arizona opening.
This past season was a successful one for Lloyd and Gonzaga. The team had gone undefeated throughout the regular-season, won the WCC Tournament, and made it all the way to the National Championship Game with a 31-0 record. The team fell one game short of the perfect season, as they fell to the Baylor Bears 86-70 to miss out on winning their first National Championship.
Arizona, looking to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018, hope that Lloyd can bring that Gonzaga success to Tucson. There is no word on an official announcement or press conference, but Tommy Lloyd is reportedly set to become the next head coach at Arizona.
Next. Zion and the 20 best one-and-done's. dark
For more NCAA basketball news, analysis, opinion and features, check out more from the FanSided college basketball section to stay on top of the latest action.