Cal promotes Wyking Jones to head men’s basketball coach
Cal will promote assistant Wyking Jones to head men’s basketball coach, according to school officials, who confirmed Friday’s surprising move that completed a two-day whirlwind in the wake of a week of seeming inactivity.
The school had been working back channels without making many public ripples since Cuonzo Martin resigned the head-coaching post Wednesday.
Martin landed a seven-year, $21 million deal at Missouri, leaving behind Jones, who has impressed the university brass with his role in the direction of the program of his strong recruiting ties on the West Coast.
Word started trickling down midweek that Bears athletics director Mike Williams was expected to hire the next head coach within a 48-hour span.
Arizona assistant Joe Pasternack had been considered the early favorite, and ESPN reported interest from an intriguing name in Shareef Abdur-Rahim.
[...] Williams had already polled Cal basketball alums and donors, started setting up interviews and sent out feelers, managing to complete what amounted to a nationwide search without making substantial news during any of it.
Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Theo Robertson and Florida State assistant coach Dennis Gates were additionally believed to have been among those considered.