Georgia Tech targets ex-NBA Rookie of Year as head coach

Stoudamire has served as an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics for the past two seasons.

From 2016-21, Stoudamire compiled a 71-77 record at Pacific University. He also has served as an assistant at Rice, Memphis and Arizona.

Since making the national title game in 2004, the Yellow Jackets have struggled, making the NCAA Tournament four times and the second round only twice during that span.

On Friday, Georgia Tech fired Josh Pastner after a 12-20 season and a second-round loss to Pittsburgh in the ACC tournament. Pastner had a 109-114 record in seven seasons, including a conference championship in 2021. However, his time at Tech ended without a win in the NCAA Tournament.

Before coaching, Stoudamire played 13 seasons in the NBA, most notably with the Toronto Raptors and Portland Trail Blazers. The seventh pick in the 1995 NBA Draft won the Rookie of the Year award in the Raptors inaugural season in 1996.

After the firing of Pastner, The Athletic wrote, "This is a bold move for [AD J] Batt, who is putting his stamp on the athletic department. He hired football coach Brent Key (replacing the fired Geoff Collins) in November, and now is overhauling the basketball program. His decision to make this move now suggests he already has someone in mind for the job."

That someone is Stoudamire, who should have his hands full in the 15-team ACC in which Tech hardly makes a ripple.