Arizona coach emerges as top coaching target
Maryland athletic director Kevin Anderson had a meeting scheduled with Arizona basketball coach Sean Miller on Saturday, according to a Maryland source, who said reports that Miller already had been hired to replace retired Gary Williams were “premature.”
According to InsideMDSports.com, the meeting was to take place Saturday night but had not happened in time for this edition.
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Miller, 42, the Wildcats’ coach the last two seasons, appears to be Maryland’s top target, though others remain in play, including Pittsburgh’s Jamie Dixon and Villanova’s Jay Wright, according to a Maryland source.
Miller is considered one of the brightest young talents in college coaching. As coach at Xavier for five seasons (2004-09), Miller took the Musketeers to the NCAA tournament four times. This year, his second at Arizona, he led the Wildcats (30-8) to a Pac-10 title and an appearance in the NCAA Elite Eight.
After the season, his top player, 6-foot-8 All-American Derrick Williams, declared for the NBA Draft.
Miller’s recruiting class at Arizona — set to enter as freshmen next year — is one of the nation’s best, including two five-star players and two graded four stars by Rivals. One of the recruits, Sidiki Johnson, is from New York City. Two other players on Arizona’s roster this season were recruited out of New York City by Miller.
Miller also served as an assistant for five seasons at N.C. State but reportedly rejected overtures from the Wolfpack last month after the departure of coach Sidney Lowe.
Miller, who makes $1.6 million a year and has three seasons left on his contract, was raised in Pennsylvania and played point guard at Pittsburgh.
According to ESPN, sources close to Miller say they wouldn’t be surprised if Miller left to return to the East Coast. One of the sources said that the decision for Miller would not be about money.
