Many supporters of Indiana men’s basketball see Brad Stevens as the ideal choice to take over as head coach after Mike Woodson. However, the president of basketball operations for the Boston Celtics has made it clear that he is not interested in the position.
“I am grateful for my role with the Celtics and the amazing people I work with every day,” Stevens told Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68 on Friday.
Last week, Woodson announced his decision to step down as the head coach of Indiana at the end of the season. The Hoosiers currently have a record of 6-8 in the Big Ten and 15-10 overall, heading into a game against UCLA on Friday night. The team has struggled since a strong start to the season and a promising beginning to conference play.
There has been no indication that Indiana’s athletic director has approached Stevens about the coaching vacancy in Bloomington. Stevens is a popular choice among Indiana fans due to his success at Butler, where he led the team to multiple NCAA tournament appearances and championship games.
After leaving Butler to coach the Celtics, Stevens achieved success in the NBA, leading Boston to multiple postseason appearances and a division title. He later transitioned to the role of president of basketball operations and general manager.
Despite Stevens ruling himself out of consideration, Indiana will need to explore other options to fill the head coaching position. Rumored candidates include Mick Cronin from UCLA and Dusty May from Michigan, who has ties to Indiana.