Rod Thorn insists Louisville coach Rick Pitino or his intermediaries never reached out to the Nets president regarding the team’s head coaching position.
But sources said Pitino backers apparently tried an end run around Thorn to get to the incoming owner, Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov.
Several persons close to the situation said Pitino supporters sought to reach Prokhorov through members of the billionaire’s inner circle. Prokhorov, who is expected to be approved as the Nets’ new owner by the NBA Board of Governors soon, will meet this weekend in Dallas with Thorn and Nets CEO Brett Yormark.
“I have no idea about that and I have no comment,” Thorn said of Pitino’s camp approaching Prokhorov.
A spokesman for Prokhorov said the billionaire “keeps everything close to the vest” and he does not want to discuss Nets matters publicly until after he is approved by the league’s owners.
Pitino, who coached the Knicks and Celtics, denied reports of his interest in the Nets’ job to ESPN.com.
“There’s not an ounce of truth to it,” Pitino said. “I have no interest, period. I’m done with coaching professional basketball. I’ve put the professional ranks behind me.”
One report said Pitino’s representatives contacted Thorn. Louisiville is in New York City to play St. John’s tonight.
“That is totally untrue,” Thorn said. “He has never contacted me in any way, shape or form.”
Thorn, in the last year of his contract, must first learn his own fate before he makes any decisions on the coaching position currently held by interim Kiki Vandeweghe. Thorn said he has formulated some names but has not discussed his candidates with anyone, so, “it’s wrong to say this guy or that guy is on the list” and any name is pure speculation.
Thorn did squash the notion he spoke with either Pitino or his representatives. And figure if Thorn receives Prokhorov’s blessing, Pitino’s chances, if they existed, just went down the drain.
“I’m good friends with Rick,” Thorn said. “But he has never indicated to me at any time that he is interested in returning to the pro ranks and he certainly did not indicate he wanted to do it here (with the Nets). Now unless he made those indications to someone else, an owner, but I’m sure I would have heard about it and I have not.
“As I said, we’re good friends and he has never indicated that to me in any way and I have never had a conversation with him about it.”
The move toward an NBA team with a new deep-pockets owner would make sense for Pitino, who was involved in an ugly sex scandal at Louisville last summer. Louisville has struggled and the state of Kentucky is enthralled by the University of Kentucky, under Pitino rival John Calipari, whose name has been mentioned in some Nets circles as a possible candidate when a true list is formulated.
Assistant coach Del Harris left the Nets this week after he reportedly was told he would not become head coach.