UCLA to Make Decision at Any Time, Young Says

UCLA Chancellor Charles Young said Sunday night that a basketball coach could be hired at any time to replace recently fired Walt Hazzard. Without speculating on which of the front-runners might be named, Young acknowledged that Larry Brown still is a possibility.

“Obviously we thought he was the man for the job at one time, so I supposed it is possible, under the right circumstances, to consider that again,” Young said. “Goodness knows anything can happen given what has happened so far.

“I don’t think it is very likely, but I couldn’t absolutely rule it out.”

Brown, whose Kansas Jayhawks won the national championship last Monday night, was offered the UCLA job Thursday night, returned to Kansas to give his athletic director his resignation, and at the last second decided to stay at Kansas.

Saturday morning, sources close to Brown were making calls saying that he might be reconsidering a hasty decision.

Both Young and Athletic Director Peter Dalis said Sunday night that a decision has not been made.

“I did talk with someone today and there have been calls with people we talked to earlier, that kind of thing,” Dalis said. “I have one more person possible to talk to.”

Dalis met with Pepperdine Coach Jim Harrick Saturday, and Harrick continues to be most prominently named as the current favorite of university officials.

Gene Bartow of Alabama Birmingham was reported to be interested in the job, but Dalis said Sunday that Bartow is “not in the picture.” Dalis also said that Gene Keady of Purdue was not among the candidates he spoke to Sunday.

Dalis indicated that he expects the decision to be made in the next few days.