Carlesimo Said to Be Hired by Kentucky

P.J. Carlesimo, the coach who led Seton Hall to a second-place finish in the Final Four, will be the new basketball coach at Kentucky, the Associated Press has learned.

Two sources told the Associated Press late Tuesday night that Carlesimo would accept the position.

The sources said that Carlesimo wanted to talk with Seton Hall officials, specifically those who supported him during attempts to oust him last season, before making the official announcement.

Carlesimo, in Lexington after his interview Tuesday with the school’s screening committee and Kentucky Athletics Director C.M. Newton, could not be reached for comment Tuesday night. A person who answered the phone at his Lexington hotel room said he was resting.

“Kentucky has a new coach,” one source said.

The source said they expected the announcement to be made today.

Chris Cameron, Kentucky sports information director, and Bernie Vonderheide, a school spokesman, said they knew nothing about a decision on a new coach. Both said a news conference had not been scheduled for today.

Carlesimo just finished the first year of a five-year contract reportedly worth a total of $1.2 million. That average salary of $240,000 could probably be doubled at Kentucky.

Carlesimo, a 39-year-old bachelor whose coaching record is under .500 despite last season’s 31-7 mark, is the first candidate Newton had wanted who has been interested enough to visit the campus.

Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski and Laker Coach Pat Riley immediately said they were not interested. Arizona Coach Lute Olson canceled a visit to the campus.

Newton had declined earlier Tuesday night to characterize Carlesimo as the top candidate.

“Not really. I’m not going to get into numbers,” Newton said. “But obviously he’s a young coach we’re very, very interested in and obviously he’s interested in us or he wouldn’t be on campus.

“So we just have to see what happens.”

Kentucky is seeking a replacement for Eddie Sutton, who resigned under pressure in March after directing the program for four years.

School officials went before the NCAA Committee on Infractions last weekend in Charleston, S.C., responding to 18 allegations of wrongdoing in the basketball program.