Indiana Basketball reportedly set to hire... NBA assistant Mike Woodson as head coach

(Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)

A $10 million buyout for the previous head coach has landed Indiana a replacement with zero college coaching experience.

According to multiple sources, the Indiana Hoosiers Men’s Basketball Team is set to hire current New York Knicks assistant Mike Woodson as its new head coach. The 63-year old Woodson spent 11 years in the NBA as a player and has spent the previous two-plus decades as an NBA assistant and head coach. While he has NBA knowledge that spans over 40 years, his college resume is lacking. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports the deal will be six years in length.

Indiana previously fired head coach Archie Miller on March 15 after four seasons with the Hoosiers in which he posted a 67-58 record and zero NCAA Tournament appearances. His buyout after being fired cost the University $10.3 million.

Knicks assistant Mike Woodson is finalizing a six-year contract to become the coach at his alma mater Indiana, sources tell ESPN. Formal announcement expected today. Woodson was a Hoosiers star under Bob Knight.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 28, 2021

The connection for Woodson to IU comes from his younger days, when he was born and raised in Indianapolis, IN and eventually played his collegiate hoops for the Hoosiers under Bob Knight from 1976-1980. He averaged nearly 20 points across his four seasons for Indiana and finished with over 2,000 career points and an NIT Championship in 1979.

As an NBA coach, he’s been billed as a high-level and coveted assistant but one who had limited success as the man in charge. Here’s a list of his title in the league since 1996.

1996-99: Milwaukee Bucks assistant
1999-2001: Cleveland Cavaliers assistant
2001-03: Philadelphia 76ers assistant
2003-04: Detroit Pistons assistant
2004-10: Atlanta Hawks head coach (record: 206-286)
2011-12: New York Knicks assistant
2012-14: New York Knicks head coach (record: 107-79)
2014-18: Los Angeles Clippers assistant
2020-21: New York Knicks assistant

Woodson was one of three separate current Knicks assistant coaches who have been considered for college positions the last couple of weeks, but he appears to be the only one to accept a job. Former Kentucky assistant Kenny Payne was in the running for the DePaul job while Johnnie Bryant was reportedly being considered for the Utah opening. For the time being, both Payne and Bryant will stay in New York.

While Woodson has coached plenty of star talent during his head coaching days such as Carmelo Anthony, Joe Johnson, and Al Horford, along with former Wildcats Antione Walker and Tony Delk, he has not recruited or coached on the college level. It’s an interesting hire for a program in desperate need of a home-run candidate.