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Report: Indiana closing in on deal with former IU star, ex-NBA head coach
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Indiana’s search for a new head coach is heading up with multiple reports indicating the Hoosiers have zeroed in on their top candidate.
According to the reports, current NBA assistant Mike Woodson is the top candidate for the job. Zach Osterman with the Indy Star reported the two sides were close to a deal while Shams Charania with The Athletic reported that Woodson is expected to accept a deal.
Source tells me IU and Mike Woodson are close to deal that will make Woodson IU's next head coach. #iubb
— Zach Osterman (@ZachOsterman) March 28, 2021
New York Knicks assistant Mike Woodson is expected to accept deal to become the next head coach of Indiana University, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 28, 2021
https://twitter.com/rickbozich/status/1376248921517871105?s=20
Woodson would be an interesting choice for a number of reasons. A native of Indianapolis, Woodson was a star for the Hoosiers in the late 1970s while playing for legendary head coach Bob Knight.
Woodson also played for a decade in the NBA before starting his coaching career as an assistant with the Milwaukee Bucks. A current assistant with the New York Knicks, Woodson has two stints as an NBA head coach with the Atlanta Hawks and the Knicks.
The intriguing part of a potential Woodson hire for the Hoosiers would be his lack of collegiate coaching experience. Woodson’s coaching experience, both as an assistant and as a head coach, has been entirely at the NBA level.
Should he take the job, it will be interesting to see how that experience shapes and plays a role in his success with the Hoosiers.
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.