Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Link to Kings’ coaching post is news to Kruger

UNLV basketball coach Lon Kruger was mentioned in a Sacramento Bee story Wednesday in reference to the vacant coaching post for the Sacramento Kings.

After walking off a golf course early Thursday night, however, Kruger said there’s no truth to the link.

“I haven’t seen that,” Kruger said of the newspaper report. “I haven’t talked to them or anything else.”

Joe Maloof, the co-owner of the Kings who runs the franchise, could not be reached for comment.

Former UNLV star Reggie Theus was fired as the Kings’ coach early in the 2008-09 season. Kenny Natt took over on an interim basis and was fired, along with four assistants, two weeks ago.

Kruger, 56, is 112-53 in five seasons at UNLV. About a year ago, he signed a new five-year contract, worth about $5.4 million not including incentives, with the Rebels.

From 2000-01 to early in the 2002-03 season, Kruger went 69-122 coaching the Atlanta Hawks.

Geoff Petrie, the general manager of the Kings, is in Europe scouting young guard Ricky Rubio. Top candidates for the Kings’ post include former NBA coaches Mike Fratello, Eddie Jordan and Paul Westphal.

Rob Miech can be reached at [email protected] or 702-948-7847

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