Sidney Lowe interested in N.C. State job

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/sports/colleges/14482184.htm

Posted on Tue, May. 02, 2006email thisprint thisreprint or license this
Sidney Lowe interested in N.C. State job
Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. - Detroit Pistons assistant coach Sidney Lowe, one of the stars of North Carolina State's 1983 national championship team, says he's interested in returning to coach the Wolfpack.

"Yeah, one day," Lowe told The News & Observer of Raleigh. "I'd definitely have interest in it one day. It's something I would hope would happen."

N.C. State has been searching for the past month for a replacement for Herb Sendek, who left after 10 seasons to coach Arizona State. The school has unsuccessfully courted several high-profile coaches, including Memphis coach John Calipari and Texas' Rick Barnes, and just last week was turned down by John Beilein of West Virginia and former UCLA coach Steve Lavin.

Now, Lowe, 46, is being mentioned as a candidate, but he says he's not focusing on the N.C. State job as his Pistons chase a second NBA title in three years.

"My mind-set is totally on the Detroit Pistons and winning another championship," Lowe said. "That's the only thing I'm concerned with at this time."

Lowe still owns a house in Raleigh and says he had a "general discussion" with NCSU athletics director Lee Fowler about other candidates.

Lowe does not have a bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year institution, as N.C. State has said it will require of its next coach. Lowe said he is completing his studies this month "at a very credible university" that he declined to name.

Lowe played four seasons in the NBA before moving on to coaching, rising to become the head coach at Minnesota and Memphis. He has a career record of 79-228 and resigned at Memphis after the team's 0-8 start in to the 2002-2003 season.

Lowe has never coached in college, but said he believes the transition wouldn't be difficult since NBA teams also track the best high-school players.

"We have as many contacts with AAU coaches and high school coaches as they do on the collegiate level," he said.

Fowler told The News & Observer that he is focusing on candidates with head coaching experiences, but declined to discuss specific people.

"I have not looked at anyone without head coaching experience. We have not looked at any who have only been assistants."

Fowler added, "I guess that means Phil Ford."

Ford, a star player and then an assistant coach at rival North Carolina who is now an assistant with the New York Knicks, was mentioned as a candidate for the job last week.

Fowler acknowledged that the search for his first major hire since becoming the school's athletics director in 2000 has been tedious because of extended negotiations with candidates and their representatives.

"We've talked contracts with a couple of guys," he said. "But you get to the point where you think you're about to hire, then they tell you to talk to their agent. Then the agent has a lawyer. Coaches are layered with agents, lawyers and accountants who all want something else in the contract.

"Some (candidates) don't mention a buyout until you start to get serious. They don't mention (potential problems) on the front end."

Last week, N.C. State was rumored to be close to a deal to hire Beilein, but Beilein's contract with the Mountaineers included a $3 million buyout provision.

 

He's been interested since the beginning. Sorry, but moon.

 

I know, but its been the only news about someobody interested in this fiasco

 

I think DWhitt is interested, and I'd like to think Marshall would be interested, if someone would ask him.