Two-time NBA head coach Eric Musselman has been selected to coach the Nevada men's basketball team and a five-year contract will be presented to the Board of Regents for their approval at a meeting on Thursday, athletics director Doug Knuth announced today.

Musselman, 50, returns to Reno after spending the last three years as an assistant coach at a pair power five schools, first at Arizona State and most recently helping the LSU Tigers to the NCAA Tournament this season.

He spent the 2010-11 season in Reno, coaching the NBA D-League's Bighorns and leading them to the only Western Conference title in franchise history. He has been a head coach with seven professional teams, including two seasons with the Golden State Warriors (2002-04) and one with the Sacramento Kings (2006-07), and has won more than 500 games as a head coach with an overall winning percentage of .625 (566-340). 

Musselman is one of just five former NBA head coaches working in NCAA basketball. His father, Bill, was also an NBA head coach and they were the first father-son combination to become head coaches in the NBA. His first head coaching job came at the age of 23 when he was hired by the Rapid City Thrillers of the CBA in 1989. He was the youngest coach in CBA history and the fastest to win 100 games.  

A national search led to the identification of Musselman as the final candidate and approval by the state's Board of Regents on Thursday would close the process and make Musselman the 18 ^th head coach in the history of Wolf Pack basketball. If approved by the regents, a formal announcement and press conference is planned for Thursday.  

Basketball season tickets are on sale now and start at just $185 for the entire season. Fans can purchase or reserve seats today by calling (775) 348-PACK, or register online and one of our Wolf Pack Account Representatives will contact you to put you in the best available seats.

What They’re Saying About Eric Musselman …

‘‘I'm really excited about the hiring of Muss. I think he will do a great job and get this program back into the spotlight. For the short time that Muss and I were together with the Reno Bighorns I enjoyed it, and Muss is a great basketball mind. I am really excited to see him work with the guys and get the ball rolling.''
- Nick Fazekas, Nevada's all-time leading scorer.

‘‘Having known Eric for most of his life. Nevada is getting not only a quality coach but an outstanding person who will be fully entrenched on campus and in the community. He is a proven winner and has outstanding basketball knowledge to go along with his over the top work ethic. Having a background in both college and the NBA, I'm sure he will install an aggressive up-tempo style that will help attract top high school players. His strength of player development while incorporating analytics within the program will give Nevada a leg up on the new age of college basketball.''
- Flip Saunders, Head coach and president of basketball operations, Minnesota Timberwolves.

‘‘The University of Nevada has made an incredible hire. I've known Eric for more than 25 years. He has worked for and with some of the greatest coaches in the history of the game. He has great knowledge and experience. He has had great success on many different levels and has always maintained a strong desire to continue to learn and grow. He is a great leader, communicator and teacher. He will help each individual player and the entire team reach their maximum potential and go far beyond what they thought possible.''
- Tom Thibodeau, Head coach, Chicago Bulls.

‘‘He taught me how to play. He taught me how to be a professional. I feel like I've always had the ability to do certain things, but he gave me a different mindset that I never had as a professional. I give him thanks for me being in the situation I'm in now. ... Instead of doing what a lot of coaches did, he just tried to get to know me. He just believed in me. He kind of just let me play, but he taught me. He never let me be comfortable ... he always pushed me to get better. There was never a day when he didn't point out something I could do better.''
- Gerald Green, Guard/Forward, Phoenix Suns.

‘‘Eric is one of the best in our sport. Extremely driven and knowledgeable. I've watched and coached against him in the NBA and FIBA games. He has an uncanny feel for the game, and ability to read where the game is at. More importantly, is his ability to motivate and teach his players what it takes to improve and win. He is as good as it gets.''
- John Calipari, Head coach, University of Kentucky.

‘‘He's as competitive of a guy as I've ever coached against. He's hungry. He's a brilliant offensive mind and he's going to be a terrific recruiter because of his competitive nature and what he has to sell. This is a guy who can tell kids exactly what it takes to play in the NBA.''
- Jeff Van Gundy, Former NBA head coach and current NBA analyst on ESPN.