ARIZONA BASKETBALL
Reports: Stoudamire replaces fellow Wildcat Pastner at Georgia Tech
Boston Celtics assistant coach Damon Stoudamire, filling in for interim head coach Joe Mazzulla, calls to his players during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the LA Clippers, Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Georgia Tech is replacing one Arizona Wildcat with another. Current Boston Celtics assistant Damon Stoudamire agreed Monday to replace the fired Josh Pastner as head coach, according to ESPN and Stadium.
Both Stoudamire and Pastner played for the Wildcats under Hall of Famer Lute Olson before serving on Arizona’s coaching staffs: Stoudamire under former head coach Sean Miller (2013-15) and Pastner under Olson (2002-08).
Stoudamire played at Arizona from 1991-95 before becoming a first-round pick (seventh overall) and winning the NBA Rookie of the Year award with the Toronto Raptors.
He also played for the Portland Trail Blazers, Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs before his pro career ended in 2008.
The point guard immediately jumped into coaching and spent time at Rice for a season before a stint at Memphis (2011-13) where he worked under Pastner, who was head coach. Stoudamire spent two seasons under Miller at Arizona and then returned to Pastner’s staff in 2015-16.
Stoudamire was head coach at Pacific from 2016-21 and went 71-77 there before joining the Celtics under head coaches Ime Udoka and Joe Mazzulla the past two seasons.
As a player, Pastner walked on at Arizona and won the 1997 national championship there.
He went 167-73 at Memphis (2009-16) and then 272-185 for Georgia Tech (2016-23).
