Report: Ex-UCLA HC Steve Alford Expected to Be Named New Nevada Coach

The Nevada Wolf Pack are reportedly turning to former UCLA head coach Steve Alford as their next men's basketball coach.

On Wednesday, Jeff Goodman of Stadium reported the Mountain West Conference school will hire him unless there is a "last-second breakdown in negotiations." 

Evan Daniels of 247Sports reported Alford was the "frontrunner" after the school discussed the position with a number of other candidates. UCLA fired Alford on Dec. 31 in the middle of his sixth season with the program.

The Nevada position was only open because the Arkansas Razorbacks hired Eric Musselman after he led the Wolf Pack to the NCAA tournament each of the last three years.

Tracy Pierson of 247Sports reported UCLA fired Alford in part because "influential donors" pressured the administration to do so following a four-game losing streak that dropped the team to 7-6 this season. NBC Sports' Rob Dauster cited a source who said Bruins players hated Alford and quit on him. 

Alford coached at Missouri State, Iowa and New Mexico prior to his time with UCLA and sports a 509-269 career record. He was 124-63 with the Bruins and reached the NCAA tournament in four of his first five years, but he never made it past the Sweet 16 and lost in 2018's First Four.

That ultimately didn't cut it at the school with the most national titles in men's college basketball history, but he will attempt to continue Musselman's success with Nevada.

The Wolf Pack hadn't been to the NCAA tournament since 2007 when Musselman took over prior to the 2015-16 campaign. However, he led them to Mountain West regular-season championships in each of the last three seasons and reached the Sweet 16 in 2018.