Wednesday, February 12, 1997
M. HOOPS:
Hiring adds much-needed stability, more recruiting powerBy Hye
Kwon
Daily Bruin Staff
"Finally some stability!"
Those were the words of junior forward Kris Johnson as news of
Steve Lavin’s hiring as UCLA’s permanent head coach spread Tuesday
afternoon.
For a team that has been on a turbulent roller coaster ride all
season long  ranked No. 5 in the preseason poll, only to hit
rock bottom in a 48-point loss to Stanford, and then finally making
it back to the Associated Press Top 25 this week  the dreaded
up-and-down ride may have finally come to an end.
Lavin was given a four-year contract converting his status from
"interim" to "permanent."
"It just kind of settles everything down," Johnson said. "That’s
what we need right about now. Everything’s been on the move and you
didn’t know if things will be stable or not. It’s great."
For seniors Charles O’Bannon, Cameron Dollar and Bob Myers,
their final run for a second NCAA title can now be made with one
less distraction. In a season that has been filled with nothing but
distractions, it’s definitely a welcome change for the No. 24
Bruins (13-7 overall, 8-3 Pac-10).
"I’m very happy that (Lavin) got the job and things are stable,"
O’Bannon said. "It helps us concentrate on our season and not worry
about next year."
Speaking of the 1997-98 season, Tuesday’s announcement comes at
a time when UCLA is hot on the trail for top high school recruits
who did not commit in the November early signing period.
"From a recruiting standpoint now, if we just work our fannies
off … we can make an unbelievable impact on recruiting," Lavin
said. "When you’re on the phone (as an interim coach) with a parent
or on the phone with a recruit, and you’re going up against
Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina and Duke, … it’s not a level
playing field. The difference now is that I can be aggressive and
hard-charged after the top players in the country."
So far, Lavin has two recruits lined up for next year. Kansas
City guard Earl Watson signed in November, while Westchester High
School’s sharpshooter Billy Knight has reportedly given UCLA an
oral commitment.
Furthermore, Baron Davis (rated the No. 1 point guard in the
nation by Ultimate Hoops, a national recruiting magazine) told the
Daily Bruin earlier in the year that he would "definitely sign with
UCLA" if Lavin was given the permanent head coaching job.
Davis declined comment over the phone on Tuesday evening, but
according to XTRA radio’s recruiting specialist John Kentera, who
spoke with Lavin on his daily radio show, UCLA is apparently close
to receiving Davis’ oral commitment.
"(Lavin) would not say that on the air, but they have two guys
signed and a commitment from a third," Kentera said. "I feel very
confident that (the third player) is Baron Davis."
Kentera further speculated that UCLA has a good a chance of
signing 6-foot-9-inch power forward Lamar Odom from New York City,
6-foot-9-inch forward/center Caspars Cambala from Wisconsin, and
6-foot 5-inch forward Tavorris Bell from Hempstead, NY. Odom is
rated the nation’s No. 1 forward prospect by Ultimate Hoops, while
Bell is touted as the 10th-best player at that position.
With the prospect of the aforementioned recruits enrolling at
UCLA, in addition to Nevada transfer Kevin Daley and last year’s
recruit Rico Hines (currently spending a fifth year of prep school
at Chatham, Va.) gaining their eligibility, the Bruins may be one
of the nation’s most talented teams next season.
That scenario, of course, would greatly change if the current
underclassmen opt to turn pro at the end of the year. Fortunately
for Lavin, the four underclassmen (Johnson, Jelani McCoy, J.R.
Henderson and Toby Bailey) who were rumored to be leaving school at
the conclusion of this season all said Tuesday evening that they
will return to Westwood next year.
"I’m having a good time in college and it looks like we’re going
to have another good team next year," McCoy said. "Right now, I
plan on staying. I don’t see why not."
Bailey, who has been receiving national acclaim ever since he
scored 26 points in the NCAA championship game his freshman year,
also expressed his intention of finishing his eligibility.
"I was going to come back regardless of who was the head coach,"
Bailey said. "But the fact that (Lavin) is going to be the head
coach makes me happy to come back."
SUSIE MING HWA CHU/Daily Bruin
(l.-r.) Kris Johnson, Steve Lavin and Brandon Loyd at a game
before Lavin signed his four-year deal.