Louisville Coaching Candidate Profile: Arkansas Head Coach Eric Musselman
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville men's basketball program mutually parted ways with Chris Mack, ending a nearly four-year run with the Cardinals. As the coaching search begins, we will break down each potential candidate, from the realistic to the far reaches. Next, we'll take a look at Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Eric Musselman.
Name: Eric Musselman
Age: 57
Born and Raised: Ashland, Ohio
Playing Career: University of San Diego Toreros
Previous Experience: Head coach of Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings, assistant for four other NBA teams. Associate head coach at both Arizona State and LSU, head coach at Nevada from 2015 to 2019 before taking Arkansas job.
Connections to Louisville: None.
Pros: Musselman has a plethora of basketball experience across several levels of the sport. He has not only been a head coach at the collegiate level, but also in the NBA with the Warriors and Kings, and at the international level with the Dominican Republic and Venezuelan national teams. While his time in the college game ranks has been brief compared to most other head coaches, Musselman has had nothing but success. He posted a 110-34 record at Nevada, guiding the Wolfpack to three NCAA Tournament appearances in his four seasons there, including a trip to the Sweet 16. After his first year at Arkansas was cut short due to COVID, he guided the Razorbacks to the Elite Eight in 2021, and a top 10 ranking to end that season. Former players have also credited him as a tremendous player developer, and two of his three full recruiting cycles at Arkansas have been top 10 classes - including signing two McDonald's All Americans in the '22 class.
Cons: The biggest drawback with Musselman is that, even at 57-years-old, he has not been involved with the college game for very long. His first gig came back in 2012 as an assistant coach at Arizona State - just a decade ago. Still, credit is due for his ability to ascend up the coaching ranks. He also has a high-intensity personality that - while it isn't necessarily a "con", per se - isn't everyone's cup of tea.
Other Factors: Something to keep in mind is that Musselman's buyout plummets from $7.5 million to $2 million as soon as the 2021-22 season ends. Going back to his high-tensity personality, it also translates into his work ethic, with multiple former players and coaches raving about his attention to detail
Odds of becoming Louisville's next head coach: Moderate. Interim AD Josh Heird, in my opinion, would be foolish if he were to not at least give Musselman a call. The real question is if Musselman would be interested in leaving Arkansas. He has things rolling down in Fayetteville right now, and making a second move in three years might be a lot to ask of his family.
Other Candidates:
(Photo of Eric Musselman: Brett Rojo - USA TODAY Sports)
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