Phelps is gone, will Russ remain?
April 21st, 2008, 12:00 pm · Post a Comment · posted by Mark Heller
Seems as though Arizona State basketball assistants keep getting plucked for other jobs, and that’s not a bad thing.
Archie Miller left after one season with ASU for Ohio State, and today it’s longtime assistant Mark Phelps, who’s headed to Drake.
Here’s Sean Keeler’s take from today’s Des Moines (Iowa) Register, and it’s impressive, in this day and age, that there was no rumor mill or message board mongering in either Tempe or Des Moines. Not a whisper of Phelps’ name was mentioned as a candidate in the past week.
Basically, Phelps’ hiring to replace the departed Keno Davis was pretty shocking in both time zones. The ASU connection helped (Drake athletic director Sandy Hatfield Clubb was a former associate AD in Tempe), but Phelps sealed this job with two terrific interviews, one via phone and the other in person.
Introduced as the new Drake basketball coach on Monday, former Arizona State assistant Mark Phelps called it a “precious opportunity,” but it was a long time coming for the 12-year assistant to Herb Sendek. (Des Moines Register photo)
Phelps’ departure means ASU coach Herb Sendek has a spot to fill on his staff for a second consecutive summer.
Greg Hansen of the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson has already mentioned ASU radio analyst Russ Pennell as a possible Lute Olson assistant once Kevin O’Neill officially departs, and no doubt Sendek’s thought the same at ASU.
Pennell was a former assistant under Rob Evans, an AAU coach who knows the high school and AAU scene as well as anyone. He has an excellent relationship with Sendek (Ty Abbott, anyone?) and, given a better opportunity, can coach.
Friendship and high-pressure coaching don’t always mix, so one question is whether Sendek and Pennell would take the chance on mixing the two.
Whether he’s coaching or doing radio, Pennell’s one the Sun Devils don’t want to lose.
