Grammer: Ten names to know for UNM men's basketball coaching job

After the shocking to some, disappointing to most news of late Tuesday that Richard Pitino is moving on from his post as head coach of the UNM Lobo men’s basketball team to coach at Xavier University in Cincinnati, it’s time to look forward.

Here are 10 names to know, listed alphabetically, for the vacant coaching position — some are legitimate candidates UNM Athletic Director Fernando Lovo has already spoken with, some are coaches that may not have a chance at getting the job, but their names keep getting mentioned. In alphabetical order:

STEVE ALFORD: Even if it’s just an obligatory courtesy call, UNM will (or likely already has had a) talk with the former Lobos head coach.

The 60-year-old Nevada coach has a monster buyout, but he and the Wolf Pack administration seem willing to work on that, if needed.

On the one hand, UNM has had few six-year runs quite like Alford’s from 2007-2013. And the guy does have 700 career victories.

On the other hand, does a 36-year-old first-time AD want to hire a CEO type who is at his best when running his own show?

And where does Nevada Associate Head Coach Craig Neal — also a former Lobo head coach — fit in the equation?

JAMES BORREGO: The Albuquerque native was extremely close to landing the job in 2017 and he may get another shot at the gig this year, when NBA coaches moving to the college ranks is becoming trendy in an NIL world.

Borrego, 47, has been an NBA head coach and assistant. Currently with the New Orleans Pelicans, he gained prominence as one of several highly regarded assistants who mentored under Gregg Popovich on the San Antonio Spurs bench.

Pair him up with a top-level recruiter (the next candidate for instance?) and Borrego’s local ties and basketball acumen could make the timing right this time, and I can confirm he is very much on Lovo’s radar.

ISAAC CHEW: UNM’s associate head coach under Pitino, Chew has been the muscle behind the Lobos high-level recruiting for four seasons and intimately involved with running the program.

Chew and the rest of the Lobos staff have jobs waiting for them at Xavier, but he’ll get a serious look at UNM first, a move that would help with player retention.

MICHAEL COOPER: The Lobo legend and NBA Hall of Famer who starred for the Showtime Lakers of the 1980s is 68 years old and highly unlikely to be considered for the job. But fans always bring his name up.

Why? Well, he is a program legend, an NBA Champion as a player, a two-time WNBA champion coach and even an NBA D-League (now G-League) champion when he was the head coach of the Albuquerque Thunderbirds in 2006.

BOB DONEWALD JR.: The Ole Miss assistant coach, who was with Chris Beard at Texas when Lovo worked there, is still working as the Rebels are in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, playing No. 2 Michigan State on Friday.

He’s been an NBA assistant, head coach overseas and head coach for the Chinese National Basketball Team. He’s 57 years old.

ALAN HUSS: The 46-year-old former UNM assistant (2013-17) moved on to Creighton where he mentored under Greg McDermott before landing the High Point head coaching job in North Carolina two years ago.

He’s set records for wins in his first two seasons and as he led his team to the NCAA Tournament this season out of the Big South Conference. He has been in contact with UNM, but I’m guessing his recent extension with High Point upped his buyout to a level likely too high for UNM to consider.

TIM MILES: He can coach. He loves the Mountain West. Loves the UNM job. Heck, he was even the finalist for the gig when Pitino was hired in the spring of 2021.

In turn, Miles, 58, the former Colorado State and Nebraska head coach, ended up taking the San Jose State job, one of the hardest in the country, but has managed moderate success at a place even that just hasn’t happened very often in years.

JACK PITINO: A darkhorse candidate, but the 10-year-old clearly knows how to clean up in the Pit and would be a hit with the fans.

Upside: Great at NCAA Tournament brackets. Has coaching DNA. Passion for Lobos unmatched.

Downside: Can’t drive himself to work. No college degree (or completion of elementary school, yet). Can’t stay up late enough for many of the televised Mountain West games.

CODY TOPPERT: The Albuquerque Academy grad has been an NBA and college assistant and is now in his second stint as an NBA G-League head coach (previously with the Northern Arizona Suns, now with the Capital City Go Go, a team affiliated with the Washington Wizards).

The 42-year-old is at the forefront of using analytics in both coaching and player development and has even designed the analytics systems for multiple teams.

KIMANI YOUNG: Here’s one I haven’t seen from all the helpful Twitter search-firms out there. A close friend of Pitino and former UTEP star guard, Young, who’s about 48 though his exact age couldn’t be verified, is more than due for a head coaching job as one of the top assistants for the two-time national champion UConn Huskies.

The Queens, New York, native was a Pitino assistant at both FIU and Minnesota before gaining national accolades as one of the the nation’s top assistants at UConn.