Flip Saunders and Norwood Teague met yesterday morning in Indianapolis to discuss the Gophers’ basketball opening, according to a source with knowledge of the meeting.
The source, who spoke to Sports Headliners on condition of anonymity because of his relationships with the University of Minnesota, expects Saunders to become the school’s next coach replacing Tubby Smith who was fired on Monday. Saunders and Teague have met twice this week, the source said.
Teague, who became the Gophers’ athletic director in July, is making his first high profile hire. It’s believed that Teague first tested the interest of current high profile college coaches such as VCU’s Shaka Smart prior to the meeting yesterday with Saunders who has spent most of his coaching career in the NBA.
Saunders played for the Gophers in the 1970s and was an assistant coach at Minnesota following his playing career. Although he hasn’t been a college assistant for more than 20 years and has coached 16 seasons in the NBA, Saunders has remained passionate about his alma mater.
Saunders, who left his job as head coach of the NBA’s Wizards last year, is a close friend of Michigan State coach Tom Izzo. The Spartans played last night in Indianapolis in their NCAA Tournament game against Duke. Saunders was in Indianapolis to support Izzo, according to the source.
A news conference regarding the next Gophers’ coach may happen within a few days.
Many people have forgotten that Flip Saunders began his coaching career at Golden Valley Lutheran College, where he had a 92-13 record, which included a 56-0 record at home. He then went to the CBA, where he had the triple roles of president, general manager, and coach with two organizations, La Crosse and Sioux Falls. He won two CBA championships during his tenure, one with each franchise. Along with his time as an assistant coach at the U of M, he served as an assistant coach for two years at the University of Tulsa. Although he has received criticism for not getting the Timberwolves beyond the first round of the NBA playoffs during his time as the team’s head coach, he is, in overall record, by far the most successful coach in the team’s history. I feel strongly that Flip can do very well at the U, if he were to be named the head coach of the men’s basketball team there.