One Coach Reportedly Favorite To Land Detroit Pistons Job
WICHITA, KS - MARCH 17: Head coach John Beilein of the Michigan Wolverines reacts as they take on the Houston Cougars in the second half during the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at INTRUST Bank Arena on March 17, 2018 in Wichita, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
John Beilein is reportedly a finalist for the Detroit Pistons job. His interest in a jump to the NBA is one of the surprises of the college basketball off-season.
He has reportedly interviewed for the position, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. However, he may not be the front-runner.
Dwane Casey won NBA Coach of the Year this season, for his work with the Toronto Raptors. The team went 59-23 this season, but after getting throttled by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, he was fired.
He may land on his feet quickly. Rod Beard of The Detroit News says that Casey is the leader to get the job.
That would obviously be great news for Michigan fans, who want to hang on to John Beilein.
Beilein is one of the best coaches in college basketball. He is coming off of a trip to the national championship, his second in five years at Michigan.
Beilein and Casey are not the only two reported finalists. According to ESPN, San Antonio Spurs assistant Ime Udoka is also in the running.
Even if Casey is the favorite, that doesn't mean things are over. The Athletic has more details about the search, and the Beilein interest is real and mutual.
Beilein, 65, has no NBA experience, making him a very interesting candidate for the job. He is an incredibly successful college coach, with a 724–419 overall record as a head coach, and a 24-12 record in the NCAA Tournament.
