Even before Arizona reportedly filled its coaching vacancy Wednesday evening, Georgia Tech coach Josh Pastner indicated that he wasn’t interested in the position, or perhaps any other.
“I plan on being at Georgia Tech as long as Georgia Tech wants me to be their coach,” Pastner told the AJC on Wednesday when asked about potential interest in the position at his alma mater.
Pastner made the comment before a report from Stadium that Arizona had hired Gonzaga assistant coach Tommy Lloyd. Given his ties to Arizona as a player and assistant coach and his success in returning the Yellow Jackets to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2010, Pastner was considered a possible candidate for the job, which opened when Arizona fired Sean Miller on April 7.
Asked if he had had any communication with Arizona representatives about the job, Pastner declined to offer a direct confirmation, though his comments suggested as much.
“It’s natural,” he said. “I played there, and I coached there. I was part of a team that won a national championship. They were casting a wide net, and they were having conversations with guys who played there and coached there and guys who never played there. I just think they cast a wide net.”
Tech and Pastner have initiated conversations about extending his contract, which is set to expire at the end of the 2022-23 season.
“The goal is to try to get us back in the NCAA Tournament next year,” Pastner said. “That’s been our focus. Nothing has changed on that.”
