Amid an outpour of support for him to take the recently vacated head coaching position at Indiana University, Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens has addressed the idea of him leaving the NBA to coach Indiana’s men’s basketball team.
Appearing on 98.5’s The Sports Hub’s “Zolak & Bertrand” radio show on Tuesday, Stevens denied the rumors that he would be leaving the Celtics to coach the Hoosiers.
However, an Indiana native who coached Butler University’s men’s basketball team from 2007-08 to 2012-13, Stevens understands the natural connection fans and Indiana residents alike would make between he and the coaching position left by 42-year-old Archie Miller.
Per Boston.com’s Tom Westerholm:
“It means a lot,” Stevens said. “It means a lot. I know that — listen, I’ve got a lot of friends back there. I’ve got a lot of people that are really important to me there. My dad’s still there. That does mean a lot. I won’t act like that doesn’t. Like I said earlier today, it’s flattering.
Stevens added that “it’s really nice of them… the sentiment doesn’t go unnoticed,” when asked about Hoosiers fans wanting him to supplant Miller.
“But I also realize that I’m the coach of the Celtics and it’s been an amazing opportunity, an amazing challenge every day for the last eight years and I’m extremely grateful for that.”
Indiana fired Miller after four seasons with the school and a 12-15 record in 2020-21 that was the men’s basketball team’s worst record since 2010-11.
Overall, Miller accumulated a record of 67-58 at Indiana, failing to reach the NCAA Tournament in each season. This is the first time the Hoosiers missed the NCAA Tournament in four straight seasons in 39 years.
In eight seasons with the Celtics, Stevens has amassed a record of 602-338, making the playoffs six times and the Eastern Conference Finals three times. Stevens was 166-49 in his time as Butler men’s basketball head coach.
