Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni could become a college basketball head coach if the veteran coach ends up getting fired this summer.
ESPN reported on Thursday that the Marshall Thundering Herd reached out to D'Antoni to inquire about his interest in handling the team next collegiate basketball season.
Sources indicated that Marshall have been pursuing D'Antoni over the past several years, but the 62-year-old coach has yet to express interest in handling his alma mater's basketball program.
The D'Antoni-to-Marshall scenario looms as recent reports indicated that the former Coach of the Year could be on his way out of the Lakers this summer as the team is on pace to finish with the worst record in franchise history.
"Sources told ESPN.com that the Thundering Herd have pursued D'Antoni before and made this latest inquiry -- which coincides with his uncertain future in Los Angeles -- because they "always sound him out" any time Marshall has an opening in a bow to D'Antoni's stature in school history," ESPN reported.
D'Antoni has only coached in the professional level since 1990, having three stops in Europe, while also earning head-coaching jobs with the Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, and the Lakers.
Sources told ESPN that D'Antoni is not interested in becoming Marshall's coach at this point because he prefers to stay at the professional level.
"D'Antoni is highly unlikely to make such a switch even if the Lakers opt for a coaching change at season's end. Although he has served as an unofficial sounding board for school officials in the past, D'Antoni has coached only at the pro level," ESPN sources indicated.
But when asked about his interest in coaching his alma mater, D'Antoni, who played for Marshall from 1970 to 1973 before being selected in the second round of the 1973 NBA Draft, sounded like he is open to any possibility.
"I hear from them all the time," D'Antoni said. "I'm the head of their capital campaign. I'm close friends to them. Whatever they need, I try to do. But, who knows."
The Lakers have yet to give any indication that they are going to sack D'Antoni after the current NBA season, but most NBA analyst are convinced the Lakers will look for a new head coach this summer.
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