Wednesday, February 12, 1997
M. HOOPS:
Successful leader’s contract brings stability to the programBy
Emmanuelle Ejercito
Daily Bruin Staff
The Steve Lavin Era has officially begun.
In a press conference Tuesday, UCLA Athletic Director Peter
Dalis announced that Lavin has been named the permanent head coach
of UCLA men’s basketball team. The 32-year-old Lavin will receive a
four-year contract that will last through the 2000-2001 season.
"Steve was definitely my number one choice for the job," said
Dalis, who interviewed four other coaches before finalizing his
decision. "I have been very impressed with the job Steve has done
as interim coach. It was a difficult position in which to put any
coach and he has handled all aspects of the job extremely well.
"This is the man I wanted for the job. Steve Lavin is a young
man who will bring good things to UCLA."
Lavin has led the Bruins to a 13-7 start to the season and they
are currently tied for first place in the Pacific 10
conference.
Lavin’s hiring has brought an end to a 3 1/2-month search to
fill the position. His hiring brings stability to the program and
could ultimately land prize recruits that were left wavering after
the firing of former head coach Jim Harrick.
"It is a personal relief and a departmental relief," Dalis said.
"There had been a lot of tension about the program and the
direction it was going to go, so (the hiring of Lavin) is a
relief."
The announcement also ends nights of NyQuil-induced sleep for
Lavin.
"There’s a lot less Theraflu and NyQuil at night to get to
sleep," Lavin joked. "Peace of mind-wise, there’s no question. When
you know that you are going to be here for a long period of time
and the university has confidence in you and is committed to you,
(it) means a great deal to your entire program and to your
basketball staff.
"Obviously this is an opportunity of a lifetime and I’m
thrilled."
After serving as a Bruin assistant coach for the past five
seasons, Lavin was catapulted into the position of interim head
coach after Harrick’s Nov. 6 dismissal.
The loss of a head coach two weeks before the start of the
season was a shocking blow for then-fifth-ranked UCLA.
Things did not bode well for Lavin and the Bruins at the
beginning of the season. UCLA dropped its first game of the season
to Tulsa in overtime, 77-76. Two games later, the Bruins were blown
out 96-83 by top-ranked Kansas. And there was the school-record
48-point loss to Stanford on Jan. 9.
But the club soon turned things around, and is currently ranked
24th in the nation.
However, there were other factors involved in the hiring of
Lavin on a permanent basis.
Lavin has not been afraid to discipline his star players.
Against Morgan State, Lavin benched starters J.R. Henderson, Kris
Johnson and Jelani McCoy as punishment for arriving late to
practice. Against USC, Henderson was forced to sit again because of
insubordination during practice.
According to Chancellor Charles Young, Lavin was a needed moral
boost to diffuse the aftermath of the circumstances surrounding the
discharge of Harrick.
"I think that there were a lot of important things to see from
Coach Lavin and we saw them all  integrity, hard work,
determination, honesty and the ability to work well the players he
coaches," Young said.
Support for the signing of Lavin was strong. Faxes, letters and
e-mail from all over the country voiced proponents’ belief in
Lavin. Following last Saturday’s victory over then-18th-ranked
Stanford, spectators in the student section began to chant "Hire
Coach Lavin" as the coach walked off the court.
"There has been groundswell of support for Steve because I think
that the fans are hungry for an environment where behavior is
something to be proud of," Dalis said. "They witnessed that when
Steve took over."
AARON TOUT
Peter Dalis, Steve Lavin and Charles Young are all smiles as
Lavin is named head basketball coach.