Eddie Jordan has accepted the monumental challenge — to take over the reins at controversy-ridden Rutgers and lead it into the powerhouse Big Ten a year from now.
The New Jersey school will introduce Jordan, its proud alum, as its next basketball coach at a press conference this afternoon, the school said yesterday.
While the release Rutgers sent out didn’t name Jordan, he will be the man tasked to rebuild the program, which fired former coach Mike Rice on April 3 after a video went viral showing him abusing players.
Jordan reportedly will become the highest paid Rutgers coach in program history, making over $1 million annually over six years. The deal was agreed upon in principle last Thursday, and the school’s Board of Governors is expected to OK the deal this morning.
Jordan is expected to retain David Cox, who has been serving as the interim head coach since Rice was fired, and has the backing of the program’s remaining players, and Van Macon on his staff, sources said.
A now former Lakers assistant coach, the 58-year-old Jordan was on the 1975-76 Final Four team, played in the NBA for seven seasons and served as head coach for the Kings, Wizards and 76ers. Jordan also has grass roots experience, having coached with the powerhouse DC Assault AAU program a year ago prior to landing with the Lakers as an assistant.
“Eddie is a good choice,” Hall of Fame New Jersey high school coach Bob Hurley Sr. of St. Anthony said. “He brings NBA experience. There’s a lot of stuff that would make somebody want to play for him if they’re not completely damaged by what happened.”
Jordan will be working with a severely diminished roster. Five players —- leading scorer Eli Carter, sophomore guard Jerome Seagears, junior forward Mike Poole, in addition to Vincent Garrett and Malick Kone — have left the program. Rutgers also lost top recruit Shane Rector of The Bronx. The 6-foot-1 point guard de-committed when Rice was fired and picked Missouri on Saturday.
There are just nine players on the current roster, and only four of them — Myles Mack, Wally Judge, Kadeem Jack and Derrick Randall —- saw consistent minutes this past season. They are four of the five remaining scholarship players in the program, along with redshirt sophomore forward Greg Lewis.
Hurley Sr. said Mack, his former player, has yet to make a decision.
“The biggest recruiting he’s going to do is recruiting the kids who are there to stay,” Hurley said.