Larry Brown Reportedly Agrees to Coach SMU

SMU has reportedly offered Larry Brown the vacant SMU head coaching position and the legendary coach has accepted, according to Dallas Morning News' Kate Hairopoulos.

"Larry Brown and SMU have reached an agreement for the 71-year-old Hall of Famer to become the school's new men's basketball coach, a source said Thursday afternoon.

Brown confirmed the news.

'I'm thrilled that they think enough of me to put me in this position,' he said when reached by SportsDay's Brad Townsend. 'I realize how important this hire is, going into the Big East. But it's a thrill. I always thought of myself as a college coach. Now this gives me a chance to get back where I started.'

The official agreement finally ends days of negotiations between the parties and a brutal five-week coaching search for SMU."

Update: Wednesday, April 18th at 4:11 p.m. EST

Larry Brown apparently isn't the head coach at SMU just yet. According to Sports Illustrated, Brown hasn't even received an offer yet.

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Larry Brown says he has not been offered the job at SMU on.si.com/I5iF1m

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) April 18, 2012"

The lack of an official deal doesn't mean that a deal is not in the works or that Brown isn't the favorite to land the job, but it suggests initial reports by ESPNDallas were premature.

Initial Update:

Southern Methodist University could soon have a new men's basketball coach on its hands.

According to a tweet by ESPNDallas, Hall of Famer Larry Brown will be the next Mustangs coach:

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RT @ESPNDallas: BREAKING: Hall of Famer Larry Brown, 71, agrees to become next #SMU men's basketball coach.

— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) April 17, 2012"

Brown, who interviewed for the position on Sunday, has gone on record in recent years saying he wants to return to the college coaching game. In his last NCAA coaching gig in 1988, he led Kansas to a national championship before leaving for the NBA.

Brown also won a title at the professional level as the head coach of the Pistons in 2004.

The Mustangs are in search of a coach after firing Matt Doherty in March after six seasons at the helm. They need someone with the pedigree to take them to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1993 and to help them prepare for a move to the Big East conference in 2013.