Indiana basketball’s head coach opening is at the top of all Hoosier fans minds and one college basketball’s biggest storylines currently. Following IU’s announcement last week that Mike Woodson will not return as head coach next season, it quickly kicked the coaching carousel into high gear for what will be one of the most sought-after jobs available in the offseason.
Indiana didn’t have to look far Friday night for one of its potential top candidates as UCLA head coach Mick Cronin and his Bruins traveled to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington. Cronin, a midwest native and former Cincinnati head coach, led UCLA to a 72-68 road win over Indiana.
Cronin has expressed desire in the past of potentially moving closer to home in the midwest after coaching at UCLA since 2019. The 53-year-old Cronin has compiled a 498-230 (68.4%) record as a head coach, making stops at Murray State from 2003-06, Cincinnati (2006-19) and UCLA (2019-present). Cronin led UCLA to the Final Four in 2021, was twice named Pac-12 Coach of the Year in 2020 and 2023, and has guided his teams to eight conference regular season and tournament championships.
After UCLA’s win over Indiana, Cronin was asked about his interest, if any, in the Indiana job.
“As far as me, I would never comment on a coaching situation,” Cronin said. “It would be wildly inappropriate, because I’m the son of a coach, and the way I look at it is that Mike Woodson’s the coach of Indiana. That man’s coaching this basketball team… I have tremendous respect for the kids and their team, and to me, no one should say anything that distracts them with that.”
Cronin was then asked about his inclusion on several Indiana coaching hot boards and if he pays any attention to it.
“Here’s how I look at that stuff: I might on your hot boards, (UCLA fans) might want my ass fired on our hot boards,” Cronin said. “That’s how I look at it. I stay off the hot boards. That’s just the way it is. You can go from one board to the other real quick, hiring and firing.”