The UCLA men’s basketball team has officially hired their next head coach and it won’t be Billy Donovan. Instead, the university has chosen to hire Mick Cronin from Cincinnati.
The program announced its decision in a press release on Tuesday that they have agreed to a six-year, $24 million contract with Cronin to become the 14th head coach in men’s basketball history.
The Bruins fired head coach Steve Alford on Dec. 31 after a 7-6 start to the season. In place of Alford, the program promoted assistant Murry Bartow to interim head coach.
In the days since the firing of Alford, Donovan was considered to be a top candidate for the position by many around the sport. Donovan led the Florida Gators to two national championships during his 19 years with the program.
The Oklahoma City Thunder head coach was still rumored to be a candidate for the job as recently as March 31 when CBS Sports Network listed him as an option for the vacancy on their Bracket Breakdown show.
Despite the rumors with Donovan involving UCLA, it is unclear if he was viewed by the program as a legitimate option or if Donovan would even entertain a return to the college level.
Many believe another first-round exit by the Thunder in the playoffs this year could potentially put the fourth-year head coach on the hot seat despite the team picking up his fifth-year coaching option earlier this season.
The Thunder were third in the Western Conference prior to the All-Star break but have since fallen to the lower half of the standings. The team dropped as low as eighth but has since climbed up to sixth following a three-game winning streak. They can potentially reach the fifth seed with some help.
So, the rumors of Donovan being linked to the UCLA job will officially end with the university hiring Cronin for the position. Donovan is under contract with the Thunder through the 2019-20 season.
