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Myron Medcalf
multiple authors
INDIANAPOLIS — Arizona Head coach Tommy Lloyd says he is not a “multitasker” amid rumors of involvement North Carolina Opening as their team prepares to play michigan In the final four on Saturday.
“I’m a simple guy. I only own one thing at a time. I’m not a multi-tasker,” Lloyd said when asked about the vacancy in his pregame press conference Thursday. “You can ask my wife. So, I’m 100% stuck with Arizona basketball right now, and I’m excited to see what this team can do. I have a really strong belief in this team and this team deserves my full attention, so that’s what I’m giving.”
Last month, North Carolina fired Hubert Davis, creating a vacancy for one of the top jobs in collegiate sports. lloyd, with Chicago Bulls Coaches Billy Donovan and Michigan’s Dusty Mays have been viewed as top candidates for the position. UNC officials have not yet selected a candidate, fueling speculation that their primary goal is still coaching in the Final Four.
On Thursday, Lloyd’s purchase reportedly dropped from $11 million to $9 million. The Tar Heels also owe Davis more than $5 million and have committed millions to Bill Belichick and the football program. This is before the salary the next coach will demand. Lloyd already makes $5.3 million a year. The top five highest-paid coaches in the country make between $6 million and $9 million.
Lloyd has been one of the fastest-rising coaches in recent college basketball history, reaching the Final Four in just his fifth season after a long tenure as Mark Few’s top assistant. gonzaga.
Michigan and Arizona are ranked first and second, respectively, in KenPom’s rankings and are widely viewed as the two best teams remaining. The Wildcats feature an eight-man rotation that includes the Big 12 Player of the Year jaden bradley With a projected first-round pick koa peat And brayden burysBoth are new.
Lloyd’s indirect response to a question about his future is not unfamiliar. After that kansas the team lost Syracuse In the 2003 national title game, former North Carolina head coach Roy Williams famously said, “I can say something about North Carolina right now,” when asked about the opening created after the team fired former player Matt Doherty.
But Lloyd isn’t changing his tune as his team prepares to compete for the program’s first national title since 1997.
He said, “Listen, my full focus is on this team. Nothing is distracting me.” “And that’s just how I decided to approach it.”
