Bruce Pearl offered a head coaching job with D-League team Texas Legends – NBA News
The former NCAA coach, Bruce Pearl, has reportedly been offered a coaching position with Frisco D-league team Texas Legends. The deal is valued at approximately $500,000; which is estimated to be 5 times greater than the regular
wage of an NBA development league coach.
The record breaking offer was extended by the Dallas Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson, who also happens to be the co-owner of the Texas Legends. It is being termed as the most aggressive package ever offered to a coach in
the D-league, as the average salary of a coach in the league is estimated to be around $80,000 - $100,000.
Nelson seemed very excited about the offer and was positive that an agreement can be reached. "He is our A-man and we are hoping to make something happen," Nelson said. "We have had basketball dialogue all day long. Based on our
lunch this afternoon, my wallet is not near as big as Mark [Cuban] but it is wide open."
Pearl was fired earlier this March after being involved in an incident where he lied to the NCAA officials regarding drafting infringements. Since then Pearl has been linked with a few broadcasting offers along with the Texas Legends
coaching offer, but he has not made up his mind yet.
In a recent interview, however, Pearl did hint that he would love to continue as a coach.
"I've always seen myself as a college basketball coach -- it's all I've done," said Pearl, who helped the Vols to an impressive 145-61 mark in his six year reign at Knoxville."Things change and I still want to coach and teach.”I
am very excited about today and about listening to what the Legends have to offer."
The relationship of the move is said to have a symbiotic nature, as both parties will benefit from it. The Texas Legends will be able to hire a top quality coach which will consequently cause uproar in the media. The hype is expected
to help promote Nelson’s Legends as well the NBA development league, given the NBA is in a lockout and it will be easier to attain the spotlight.
For Pearl, it will be an opportunity to re-establish himself and utilize this plane to create a huge impact, which could later help him reach the up tiers of coaching in the NBA.
Meanwhile, Pearl has been visiting Dallas of late and has met with Nelson a couple of times during the past month or so. However, he stated that nobody should expect a decision from him whilst he is in Dallas. He said that things
will become clearer only after he goes back to Tennessee and thinks over the matter in detail.
Tags: