Grand Canyon coach Dan Majerle must fill an assistant coaching vacancy with associate head coach Todd Lee leaving the staff to become South Dakota’s coach, and former Arizona guard Mike Bibby is a possibility.
The Arizona Republic reported tonight that Bibby, a 14-year NBA point guard who led Arizona to the national title in 1997, has “strong interest” in becoming part of Majerle’s staff.
Bibby has coached Phoenix Shadow Mountain, his alma mater, to the past three state basketball championships and four in five years. Bibby reportedly told the Republic that he texted Majerle to let his interest be known.
Bibby is eligible to join a college coaching staff after finishing his college degree last year through UNLV online courses. He has indicated that he is ready to make the transition from coaching high school hoops to the college level or the NBA.
Bibby could be a wise hire for Majerle inasmuch as Grand Canyon is recruiting former Shadow Mountain guard J.J. Rhymes and Shadow Mountain junior point guard Jovan Blacksher. Rhymes played the last two seasons at Hutchinson (Kansas) Community College, where he became one of the top junior college players in the nation.
Bibby is an incredible 101-14 at Shadow Mountain since becoming the head coach in 2014. Maxpreps.com listed Bibby as leading one of the top five public-school programs nationwide over the last five years.
Shadow Mountain has not lost to an in-state opponent since Bibby’s first season of 2014-15. The Matadors defeated Salpointe 81-77 for the Class 4A state title this season.
Thanks coach Sean Miller @UofA for visiting James Akinjo today #wildcats pic.twitter.com/MLpVq2wK75
— Rachel J (@rachelgotmail1) March 27, 2018
Arizona coach Sean Miller, who has only assistant Mark Phelps on his staff, is in the process of trying to complete his staff. Nothing indicates to this point that Bibby is a candidate to join Miller’s staff.
Miller is trying to fill the full-time positions vacated by Lorenzo Romar — now the Pepperdine head coach — and Book Richardson — fired after federal bribery charges led to his arrest last September.
Another former Arizona player — Joseph Blair, who was a graduate assistant under Miller three seasons ago — recently completed his second season as a Rio Grande Valley assistant in the NBA’s G-League. Rio Grande’s head coach is Matt Brase, a former Arizona player who is Lute Olson’s grandson.
No indications exist as well that Blair is a candidate for Miller’s staff.
Miller is also trying to fill seven scholarship spots.
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