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twitterREBELS BASKETBALL:
Kruger ‘not interested’ in Arizona job
UNLV coach says he’d be happy to finish his career as a Rebel
Friday, Oct. 31, 2008 | 2:10 p.m.
Lon Kruger
Sun archives
It might be inevitable that UNLV basketball coach Lon Kruger would be linked to the opening at Arizona, in chat rooms or speculative reports. That has already begun.
After Friday’s practice, however, Kruger said all of his interest lies in coaching one program – UNLV.
“I don’t have any idea what they’re looking for,” Kruger said of the Wildcats. “ … but we’re not interested in that.
“We can’t do anything about people talking about it, if they do, or what appears on the Internet or wherever else it appears. All we can do is line up and have a great time coaching this group, which we will.”
Last week, 74-year-old Lute Olson, citing health reasons, retired from his longtime post at Arizona. Wildcats athletic director Jim Livengood said he will conduct a national search for a replacement.
Kruger, 56, is starting his fifth season at UNLV.
He guided the Rebels to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament two seasons and to the second round, where they lost to eventual national champion Kansas, last spring.
It’s the first time UNLV has won games in consecutive NCAAs since 1991.
Several programs courted him with lucrative offers over the past two years.
“We don’t ever dwell on those things,” Kruger said Friday.
D.J. Allen, who co-wrote Kruger’s new book, “The Xs and Os of Success,” alluded to those offers in the introduction of the book.
“If Kruger didn’t want to come back for his fourth or fifth seasons at UNLV, his bank account would have benefited and recruits would be more likely to answer the phone on a new school’s name recognition alone,” Allen wrote.
“Forget interviews, the offers were there.”
Kruger has been linked to an array of openings in recent years, including Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa and the Sacramento Kings.
UNLV athletic director Mike Hamrick enhanced Kruger’s deal after the 2007-08 season.
Kruger’s five-year package is worth about $5.4 million. In addition, he gets a country-club membership, and automobile allowances for him and his wife, Barb.
He also gets $25,000 for qualifying for the NCAA tournament, and $25,000 for each victory in the NCAAs.
He will receive a $325,000 completion bonus on the last business day of March 2012 if he is the UNLV coach on that day.
Moreover, Hamrick enhanced the package with a ticket-revenue sharing plan with Kruger, who hired Allen to promote and market the team.
If Kruger and Allen generate income up to and including $400,000 over each year’s base revenue projection, 100 percent of that money goes to Kruger.
If it’s between $400,001 and $800,000, Kruger will get 50 percent. If it’s more than $800,000, he will get 75 percent.
There is a $500,000 buyout clause if Kruger were to leave UNLV for another college or pro team by the end of his contract.
Kruger said he is happy with Hamrick’s efforts to keep him in Las Vegas.
“Absolutely,” he said. “Yeah, no question. We’re very pleased with what’s happening.”
Asked if he’d be happy if UNLV ends up being his last coaching job, Kruger didn’t hesitate.
“Absolutely,” he said. “Absolutely. I’d be thrilled. We love living here and the fans are great. We just have to keep growing it.”
Discussion: 19 comments so far…
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Lon Kruger is a stand up guy. Arizona will now feel what we felt from 92-04. I wish Lon the best and keep doing what you do. I bleed rebel red!!!!!!!!!!
He hears you, Una, he hears you! He said he and Barb have enjoyed living in Las Vegas as much as anywhere else they've lived. In a recent chat, he said they've felt more welcomed here than anywhere else they've been. That's pretty strong. And his word is as good as gold.
Kruger is a stand up guy as long as UNLV boosters keep lining his pockets. That is not what I consider a true stand up guy. Kruger will suck everything out of UNLV until he can't get anyone and at that point he will bolt.
Or when his wife gets bored or he gets bored. It has happened numerous times with them already.
Hey Mr. Positive, er, Sufferin, I thought you'd chime in here. What, you haven't kicked the dog enough today?
We love Lon Kruger. I think he's here to stay, he's found his home. Like Tarkaninan, once you get UNLV going why would you really want to leave? The UNLV job has to be best in country when UNLV is successful. The key to the city goes with success in this town. I'm sure Kruger enjoys it here in Las Vegas but wait until we get to the next level and EVERYONE gets rebelfever....Kruger will be a god here in Las Vegas.
Kruger is obviously comfortable in Las Vegas and the program is on the rise, why leave now? Only one of the really BIG programs (UNC, Duke, UCLA etc) would have any chance of pulling him away.
Hey Sufferin...Do your parent's not like you?...What is about UNLV that you hate so much? Did your girlfriend leave you?...Come out with it? Cant you find something better to do with your free time then bash UNLV?....Hey,coach Kruger, if your reading this...UNLV loves you! Your a class act. Please don't leave, your on the brink of buidling something special...If playing ball doesn't work out for Kevin...Get him on the staff, and out on the recruiting trail....Question? I'm out here in Florida...Where can I buy your book?
ksiff, I think 25,000 copies were on the first print. Not sure if it's on amazone.com, but I'll ck for you at practice today and let you know. Check back with a note on one of my next stories, cool? Kruger is also very keen on not just starting something here, but getting it back to where it was and keeping it there. His recent pay boosts actually pale in comparison to some of the top jobs in the country, but that's not the point. No, he doesn't need money. The Atlanta Hawks gig set him up for life. Still, you'd like to earn what you're worth. So the boost(s) are a sign of good faith with Hamrick and the university.
As for sufferin? Touche. Poor guy.
Sorry, but I didn't read that statement as Kruger not interested in the UA job. Just that he isn't interested in thinking (or talking) about it right now. There isn't a good coach in his right mind who's going to express interest in another job this close to the season, even if they are secretly interested. Which he very well could be. And even if he did come right out and say he wouldn't be interested in the coaching job at Arizona, I'd still take it with a grain of salt. College ranks are full of coaches who made public statement's like that, only to turn around and take the job anyway after the season.
But I doubt we have much to worry about. I can think of at least 8-10 other coaches who are probably ahead of him on their short list.
I highly doubt 8 or 10 coaches are ahead of Lon on a short list. For one, that's no short list, is it? A short list is three or four. For another, you can take him at his word. You lop him into some sort of category "College ranks are full of coaches who make public statements..." It would be ignorant to put Kruger in such a generic group.
I took a call from someone in Tucson, which compelled me to inquire with Kruger. He said what he said above.
OldSchool needs to go back to school because he's out of mind if he thinks Kruger is number 9 or 11 on Arizona's list. Kruger could have the U of A job today if he said "yes".
I think you're pretty right Lenny. I believe Jamie Dixon of Pitt and Mark Few of Gonzaga might be on the true "short list." You are so correct about Lon, I think. His program and style and schemes are so proven... thx
No way would Arizona want Kruger. The guy has completely lucked his way into the NCAA tournament the past 2 seasons by having his son transfer here and Wink make a fluke shot to beat TCU in the MWC tournament. Although if Kruger did take the Arizona job you wouldnt hear any complaining from me.
4evr, UNLV is very fortunate to have Lon Kruger coaching its basketball team. VERY fortunate. Your denigrating remarks are completely off-base. How can you call yourself a Rebels fan or have that i.d. name and not be pleased about what you've seen on the hoops court the past two seasons? Odd
I am happy that Kruger lucked his way into the tournament the past two seasons. But you can you honestly say that if Kevin Kruger didnt transfer here for one year and if Wink's fluke shot didnt fall against TCU that Kruger would have had UNLV playing in the NCAA tournament? Kruger just of easily could of had UNLV playing in the NIT and then all of the naive UNLV fans wouldn't be singing such a happy tune right now. The fact is that good solid coaches do not need to luck their way into playing in NCAA tournament, and Kruger is not a good solid coach. By the way what was Krugers career win percentage when he was hired at UNLV? Why dont you also look up Krugers win-lose record against top 75 rpi teams as well. The results are surprising. Krugers luck cannot last forever and he will be exposed.
Hey rebfan4evr...Ya your right...UNLV was lucky last year...I think they won 27 games last year without a center, and two walk ons...Tallest guy on the team was maybe 6'7"...Ya, when Kruger took Florida to the final 4 in the early 90's that was luck too...Preseason projections for that team had Florida ranked 7th in their own conference...Ya your right....He's terrible coach...Rebvan4ever, I'm ashamed to know there's people like yourself call themselves a Rebel fan....I beg you to renounce your love for the Rebels...as true Rebels fans don't want you at the games with your ignorance and on found reasons on why you don't like Lon Kruger...Come on out...Who are you really? Why are you a Rebel hater? You take care Rebel4ever...Ya right!
rebfan, if ifs and buts were candy and nuts... uh, I hope you've heard that one before. Exposed? What on earth are you talking about? I think you are exposing yourself. He has done a solid job every single place he's been. Yet, he or his family or his players have to read such drivel? Luck has had nothing to do with Lon Kruger's career.
I've got this one Rob...
Hey rebfan4evr:
You want to talk about luck??? How about all those 3 pointers TCU made to even stay in the game. 17 in one game! MWC record.
Heres some more numbers for you: (Make sure you reread this a couple of times to make sure it soaks in.)
Luck.....
Wall 83% 3 point shooting that night. B4 that night 37%.
Hacket 75% B4 27%.
Landford 100%. B4 21%.
Mitchem 50% B4 35%.
Morones 100% B4 25%.
Ebie 50% B4 31%
More?
Only 3x's in the season did TCU put up more than 88 points in a game. And the opponents were NCAA powerhouses Angelo State, Grambling State, and Prairie View A&M.
Now I will leave UNLV's numbers out of this because I think the point is made.
There. It's done. Burried. If you want to bring it up again... you'll have to be 6 feet under.
touche! Go bleed, go! :-)