UCLA hires Steve Alford as basketball coach
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Steve Alford has been hired as UCLA’s basketball coach, the university announced Saturday morning.
Alford, 48, spent the last six seasons at New Mexico, compiling a 155-52 record. He replaces Ben Howland, who was fired after going 25-10 and winning the Pac-12 Conference regular-season championship.
Alford has agreed to a seven-year deal worth $2.5 million a year, according to a person familiar with the hire who was not authorized to speak publicly about it.
[Updated 11:36 a.m. March 30: UCLA officials later confirmed Alford had agreed to a seven-year contract worth $18.2 million, including a $200,000 signing bonus.]
"I have been so fortunate and blessed in my life, and an opportunity to lead the one of the greatest programs in college basketball history is once-in-a-lifetime," Alford said in a statement released by UCLA. "It is an honor to be the head coach at UCLA, yet it is also a responsibility to ensure that our former, current and future players and fans are proud to be Bruins. I am grateful to Chancellor Gene Block and [Athletic Director] Dan Guerrero for this amazing opportunity and I can’t wait to get started."
UCLA officials had approached Butler’s Brad Stevens and Virginia Commonwealth’s Shaka Smart, who both passed on the job. Guerrero turned to Alford, who recently agreed to a 10-year contract extension worth more that $20 million.
"Steve is the perfect fit for UCLA," Guerrero said in UCLA's release. "He is part of the storied history of the game of college basketball and understands the tradition and uniqueness of UCLA. Yet he also connects with a new generation of players and brings an up-tempo and team-oriented brand of basketball to Westwood."
Alford won a national championship while playing for legendary Coach Bobby Knight at Indiana. Alford has taken three teams to the NCAA tournament as a coach: Southwest Missouri State, Iowa and New Mexico.
The Lobos were seeded third in the West Regional for the NCAA tournament this season, but were upset by Harvard in their first game. New Mexico finished 29-6 this season and for the second season in a row won the Mountain West Conference regular-season and tournament titles.
Alford has a 463-235 record with nine NCAA tournament appearances in 22 seasons. His Southwest Missouri team reached the South Regional semifinals in 2006.
Alford inherits high expectations at UCLA. Aside from the court success, UCLA officials were looking for a coach who could boost sales of season tickets.
The Bruins drew only five crowds of 10,000 or more this season at recently renovated Pauley Pavilion.
Alford also inherits a team in flux. There were only eight players who came to UCLA on scholarship after Joshua Smith and Tyler Lamb transferred. Freshman forward Shabazz Muhammad is expected to declare for the NBA draft and freshman center Tony Parker is considering transferring.
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LOS ANGELES — UCLA has hired Steve Alford as men’s basketball coach, luring him from New Mexico days after Alford signed a new 10-year deal with the Lobos.
Alford
LOS ANGELES — UCLA has hired Steve Alford as men’s basketball coach, luring him from New Mexico days after Alford signed a new 10-year deal with the Lobos.
Athletic director Dan Guerrero says Alford is “the perfect fit for UCLA” because he connects with a new generation of players and brings an up-tempo and team-oriented style of play to Westwood.
Alford succeeds Ben Howland, who was fired last weekend after 10 years at UCLA.
Alford led New Mexico to a 29-6 record this season that included the Mountain West regular-season and tournament titles. But the Lobos were upset by Harvard in the second round of the NCAA tournament shortly after Alford’s new deal with the school had been announced.
Alford, whose hiring was announced Saturday, will be introduced at UCLA on Tuesday.
“I have been so fortunate and blessed in my life, and an opportunity to lead one of the greatest programs in college basketball history is once-in-a-lifetime,” he said in a statement.
Alford had a 155-52 record in six years at New Mexico, with the Lobos making three trips to the NCAA tournament. He was selected Mountain West coach of the year three times.
His other head coaching stints were at Iowa (2000-07), Missouri State (1996-99) and Manchester College (1992-95) in his native Indiana.
Alford is a legend in the Hoosier state, where he starred at Indiana University from 1984-87 under coach Bob Knight. The Hoosiers won the national championship in his senior year. He also played on the gold medal-winning 1984 U.S. Olympic basketball team in Los Angeles as a college sophomore. Knight coached that team.
Alford was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in 1987 and played four years in the NBA before starting his head coaching career.
UCLA hires Steve Alford as new basketball coach
By | The Associated Press – 1 hour 31 minutes ago via Yahoo!SportsRELATED CONTENT
- FILE - In this March 2, 2013, file photo, New Mexico head coach Steve Alford signals to his players during the first half of their NCAA college basketball …
- FILE - This Feb. 23, 2013 file photo shows New Mexico head coach Steve Alford directing his team against Colorado State in the first half of an NCAA college …
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- UCLA hired Steve Alford as basketball coach on Saturday, luring him from New Mexico days after he signed a new 10-year deal with the Lobos.
Athletic director Dan Guerrero said Alford is ''the perfect fit for UCLA'' because he connects with a new generation of players and brings an up-tempo and team-oriented style of play to Westwood.
''He's ready for this stage,'' Guerrero said on a teleconference.
Alford agreed to a seven-year deal worth $18.2 million, with a yearly salary of $2.6 million, according to Guerrero. He will receive a $200,000 signing bonus.
Alford will be introduced at UCLA on Tuesday.
''I have been so fortunate and blessed in my life, and an opportunity to lead one of the greatest programs in college basketball history is once-in-a-lifetime,'' he said in a statement.
Alford's deal with New Mexico was worth more than $20 million over 10 years. Guerrero said Alford is responsible for a buyout of his contract in Albuquerque, but that UCLA would work out the details.
Guerrero said UCLA reached out to Alford first, not knowing whether he would be interested in the Bruins. Once he confirmed he was, the details were finalized early Saturday, Guerrero said.
''He's not the kind of guy that will shy away from what UCLA basketball is all about,'' the athletic director said.
Alford, who is 48, succeeds Ben Howland, who was fired last weekend after 10 years and a 233-107 record that included three consecutive Final Four appearances and four Pac-12 titles. The Bruins were 25-10 this season, which ended with a 20-point loss to Minnesota in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Alford led New Mexico to a 29-6 record this season that included the Mountain West regular-season and tournament titles. But the Lobos were upset by Harvard in the second round of the NCAAs shortly after Alford's new contract had been announced.
His son, Bryce, was set to play for his father with the Lobos, continuing a tradition that Alford first established when he played under his own father, Sam, at New Castle Chrysler High in Indiana.
Alford had a 155-52 record in six years at New Mexico, with the Lobos making three trips to the NCAA tournament. He was selected Mountain West coach of the year three times.
Guerrero had said he wanted a coach who would help boost season ticket sales. The Bruins had just a few sellouts at newly renovated Pauley Pavilion this season.
''I think the UCLA family will embrace him. I think he'll be able to hit on all cylinders,'' Guerrero said. ''He'll be able to energize the fan base in so many ways. Look at New Mexico, they get 15,000 a game, it's madness there.''
His other head coaching stints were at Iowa (2000-07), Missouri State (1996-99) and Manchester College (1992-95) in his native Indiana.
Alford is a legend in the Hoosier state, where he starred at Indiana University from 1984-87 under coach Bob Knight. The Hoosiers won the national championship in his senior year. He also played on the gold medal-winning 1984 U.S. Olympic basketball team in Los Angeles as a college sophomore. Knight coached that team.
Alford was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in 1987 and played four years in the NBA before starting his head coaching career at tiny Division III Manchester.
As a high school senior, Alford averaged 37.7 points and was Indiana Mr. Basketball.
Besides Bryce, Alford and his wife, Tanya, have a son, Kory, and a daughter, Kayla.
UCLA has hired Steve Alford as its new basketball coach, a name that never entered into the possible-candidates fray to replace the fired Ben Howland. Perhaps that's because Alford just agreed to a 10-year contract extension with New Mexico.
ESPN reported that Alford never signed the actual contract.
Maybe Alford thought the agreement was for 10 minutes, not 10 years. His bad.
UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero wanted an up-tempo offense. He never said anything about a loyal coach.
"Steve is the perfect fit for UCLA," Guerrero said in a statement. "He is part of the storied history of the game of college basketball and understands the tradition and uniqueness of UCLA. Yet he also connects with a new generation of players and brings an up-tempo and team-oriented brand of basketball to Westwood.''
Alford's team's should score points on the court, but will he score points with donors and fans and today's players?
Remember, this is the same Alford who was reprimanded by the Mountain West Conference in 2010 for calling a BYU player a vulgar name in the postgame handshake.
Perfect fit for UCLA? I don't see where name-calling opposing players fits into the late John Wooden's Pyramid of Success.
Alford had said then it was all part of the emotion of the game, perhaps the same thing that happened when he decided to go back on a 10-year extension for about $2 million a year.
At New Mexico, Alford had turned the Lobos program back into something special with a 155-52 record in six seasons. This year, he engineered a 29-win season - second-best in school history - but his No. 3-seeded Lobos were upset by Harvard in the NCAA Tournament.
Guerrero has his coach who runs an up-tempo offense. And a man who agreed to an extension at New Mexico, then left for the next best thing.
Jill.painter@dailynews.com twitter.com/jillpainter
COMMENTARY: Did UCLA get the right man in Steve Alford?
Posted: 03/30/2013 10:33:00 AM PDT
Updated: 03/30/2013 10:36:04 AM PDT
New Mexico head coach Steve Alford reacts to a referee's call during a second-round game against Harvard in the NCAA college basketball tournament in Salt Lake City Thursday, March 21, 2013. Harvard defeated New Mexico 68-62. (Rick Bowmer / The Associated Press)
ESPN reported that Alford never signed the actual contract.
Maybe Alford thought the agreement was for 10 minutes, not 10 years. His bad.
UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero wanted an up-tempo offense. He never said anything about a loyal coach.
"Steve is the perfect fit for UCLA," Guerrero said in a statement. "He is part of the storied history of the game of college basketball and understands the tradition and uniqueness of UCLA. Yet he also connects with a new generation of players and brings an up-tempo and team-oriented brand of basketball to Westwood.''
Alford's team's should score points on the court, but will he score points with donors and fans and today's players?
Remember, this is the same Alford who was reprimanded by the Mountain West Conference in 2010 for calling a BYU player a vulgar name in the postgame handshake.
Perfect fit for UCLA? I don't see where name-calling opposing players fits into the late John Wooden's Pyramid of Success.
Alford had said then it was all part of the emotion of the game, perhaps the same thing that happened when he decided to go back on a 10-year extension for about $2 million a year.
At New Mexico, Alford had turned the Lobos program back into something special with a 155-52 record in six seasons. This year, he engineered a 29-win season - second-best in school history - but his No. 3-seeded Lobos were upset by Harvard in the NCAA Tournament.
Guerrero has his coach who runs an up-tempo offense. And a man who agreed to an extension at New Mexico, then left for the next best thing.
Jill.painter@dailynews.com twitter.com/jillpainter
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