Brad Stevens, Rick Pitino Say They're Not Interested in Indiana HC Job

Jenna CiccotelliAnalyst IIMarch 16, 2021

Boston Celtics' head coach Brad Stevens signals during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Michael Dwyer/Associated Press

The head coaching job for men's basketball at Indiana is open after the firing of Archie Miller, but a pair of potential candidates have said they have no interest in the gig.

Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens told Zolak and Bertrand on Tuesday that he does not want to return to the college level, while Iona head coach Rick Pitino said he wants to end his career in New Rochelle, according to Mike Rodak of AL.com.

Miller had coached the Hoosiers since 2017.

Stevens made his NBA coaching debut in 2013-14, but many hoped he'd want to return to his home state.

Sage Steele @sagesteele
I agree...it needs to be someone with Hoosier blood running thru their veins. A former IU player...or an Indiana native like Brad Stevens. Someone who truly GETS what Indiana basketball is all about. ( Hi @CoachDaneFife 👋🏽 ) https://t.co/dhKTUKmzhD

"That's nice of them. That really is," he told Zolak and Bertrand. "That's home. I get it. I appreciate all the nice sentiments. It certainly doesn't go unnoticed, and it's certainly very kind."

Celtics on NBC Sports Boston @NBCSCeltics
Brad Stevens says he has no interest in going back to college to coach Indiana with @ZoandBertrand https://t.co/3JrPzd3VsY

A native of Zionsville, Indiana, Stevens went to college at DePauw and coached at Butler before making the jump to the NBA. But he's made a strong case for himself in Boston, where he has emerged as the fifth-longest-tenured coach in the league and the fourth-winningest coach in franchise history.

Mike Rodak @mikerodak
Rick Pitino on Indiana job: “I’m not a candidate for Indiana or any job. You could come to me with the greatest job on Earth and I would not consider it. I came home to coach and end my career at a small Catholic school."

The Celtics have reached the Eastern Conference Finals in three of the past four seasons. They're sitting at 20-18 on the 2020-21 campaign, winning five of their last six to sit at fifth in the Eastern Conference.

✨ Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content

Pitino, a two-time NCAA champion as a head coach, took the job at Iona after being fired by Louisville in 2017 amid an FBI investigation into recruiting violations. The Gaels made the NCAA men's tournament as a 15th seed in his first year as head coach after a 12-5 record and a MAAC championship.

Indiana, meanwhile, will continue its head coaching search as it looks to move on from a 12-15 season.