USC wanted to find a coach with success at the collegiate and professional level, and the Trojans found their man in former Arizona coach Kevin O’Neill. USC hired the man who led one of the Trojans’ main Pac-10 rivals to the NCAA Tournament during the 2007-08 season after Lute Olson abruptly decided to sit out the season.
O’Neill has a long résumé of head coaching experience that includes stints at Marquette, Tennessee, Northwestern and Arizona among the collegiate ranks and the Toronto Raptors in the NBA. O’Neill also helped the Detroit Pistons evolve into one of the best defensive teams in the league while he was an assistant coach from 2002 to 2003. USC Athletic Director Mike Garrett introduced the new coach in a university press release, and the athletic department will hold a live press conference Monday.
“We’re thrilled to have Kevin O’Neill as our men’s basketball coach,” said Garrett. “Kevin is the consummate coach. He knows his Xs and Os, he’s an excellent recruiter and he is very in tune with the academic side of a player’s collegiate experience. His 30 years of experience at the college and professional levels has prepared him well for this opportunity. I love his coaching philosophy and principles: he’s a no-nonsense coach who is very detail-oriented and prepares his teams well. He stresses defense and I’ve always believed that defense wins championships.”
Said O’Neill: “I’m very excited about this opportunity to coach at such a great institution as USC, with its tremendous athletic and academic tradition. I appreciate Mike Garrett’s confidence in me. I will work my hardest to coach us to a championship level every single day. I can’t wait to get started.”
In a video statement, O’Neill addressed some of the controversy swirling around USC sports. O’Neill replaces Tim Floyd, who resigned amid allegations that he paid an associate of former player O.J. Mayo. The implication is that Floyd worked with associates of Mayo and a sports agency to steer him to the Trojans. In addition to those concerns, USC is under investigation because former football player Reggie Bush also might have received improper financial support as a collegiate player.
I recognize that USC basketball has been through a tough time lately. Like many college basketball fans, I have been following the developments in the media. One thing I expect people might second-guess me on is whether I made the right call in taking this job.
While all of us at USC are prohibited by the NCAA from discussing details of this ongoing investigation, I want to assure you that I made my decision only after a thorough evaluation.
USC could not have been more forthcoming and honest in answering my questions. Their answers and the integrity of President Sample, Mike Garrett and the entire USC organization gave all the assurances I needed of the strength and integrity of this entire organization. If I didn’t believe in USC — and all of the people involved — I wouldn’t be putting my name and reputation on the line. But I do and I am. Enough said.
I’m sure I am also going to be asked whether the NCAA investigation involving basketball is going to hurt recruiting or the program in general. Let me just say that if I thought I wouldn’t be able to do my job — do the job that the University expects of me and equally important that I expect of myself — I wouldn’t have taken the job.
