Catching up with Russ
June 18th, 2008, 3:59 pm · Post a Comment · posted by Mark Heller
Russ Pennell is part of Lute Olson’s overhauled staff in Tucson, which meant giving up his Arizona Premier Basketball Academy business and radio gig alongside Tim Healey at ASU.
Reports of Tucson’s demise have been overexaggerated.
So says Russ Pennell, as I caught up with the affable Arizona assistant and former Arizona State assistant and radio analyst.
He sold his home in Gilbert within 24 hours of putting it on the market, found a place to live in northwest Tucson three days later, and is still working with his children on adjusting to this new phase of life.
“My daughter says she can’t root for Arizona, that she’s a Sun Devil,” he said. “I told her she’s going to have to learn to change that, because they’re signing dad’s paycheck.”
Contrary to his previous hopes and sentiments, he will be hitting the recruiting roads hard for most of July. His experience and connections through his former business (the Arizona Premier Basketball Academy, now run by his father) shouldn’t go to waste.
“That was wishful thinking,” he said of staying home.
The bridging of trust continues between Lute Olson, his new assistants and his players, as longtime assistant Jim Rosborough, Josh Pastner and Miles Simon have been replaced by former Nuggets assistant Mike Dunlap, Pennell and Reggie Geary.
The coaching staff fully expects McDonald’s All-American Brandon Jennings to qualify academically, and in doing so, would give Arizona one of the best starting lineups in the Pac-10, with Chase Budinger, Nic Wise and Jordan Hill returning.
He’s seen the Sun Devils’ Ty Abbott and Jeff Pendergraph a couple times this summer, and remains close friends with ASU assistant Dedrique Taylor, so while he’s now engaged on the other side of this bitter feud, he hopes it’s only on the court.
“My relationship with those guys will never change,” Pennell said. “Doesn’t mean we can’t compete against them and try to win, but as people and friends, that will continue.”