Among the many potential candidates for the Los Angeles Lakers vacant head coaching position, one of the most intriguing is current UConn head coach Kevin Ollie.
In addition to experiencing great success in a short time at UConn, winning a National Championship in his second season at the helm, Ollie is a young coach who is great at communicating with players and getting them to buy into his system.
There have been reports that Ollie is intrigued by the Lakers job, but according to ESPN’s Andy Katz, it would take something special to pry him away from his alma mater:
UConn coach Kevin Ollie said Monday that he has had no contact with the Lakers. He said he will always listen if called but it would take “something very special” to pull him away from UConn.
Katz also noted that Ollie’s family being settled and comfortable where he is at now is a factor:
He added his daughter is in high school and his son is at nearby Fordham and family is very important to him. Ollie was recruiting in Indianapolis over the weekend.
Many have pointed to Ollie’s relationship with Kevin Durant as a big reason why the Lakers should bring him in, but he brings much more than that to the table. A young coach who can grow with this young team could be the perfect equation to turning things around for the Lakers.
As was noted, however, the Lakers have yet to contact Ollie. To this point the Lakers have received permission to interview San Antonio Spurs assistant Ettore Messina and have contacted former Houston Rockets coach, and current ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy.