Carlesimo Got No Kentucky Offer--Yet

Kentucky’s athletics director today denied an Associated Press report that the school’s head basketball coaching job had been offered to Seton Hall Coach P. J. Carlesimo.

“We had really good dialogue,” Athletics Director C. M. Newton said after he and Carlesimo met with the head of the broadcasting company that holds the rights to Kentucky sport events.

“There’s been no job offer, no job accepted or contracted for.”

Two sources had told the AP that Carlesimo, who guided an unheralded team to the runner-up spot in the NCAA tournament this year, would accept the position. (Story, Part III, Page 1.)

Newton said he and Carlesimo met with Jim Host, president of Host Communications Co., in order to give Carlesimo a feeling for the job’s public visibility.

He said the three did not discuss money during the session, which lasted about 75 minutes.

‘Can’t Say Anything’

“I can’t say anything right now,” Carlesimo said as he went into the meeting, which followed a breakfast today with university President David Roselle.

Roselle said today, “No offer has been made to Carlesimo, at least yet.”

Roselle said Carlesimo’s hiring would have to be approved by the school’s athletics board, of which he is chairman. He said no such board meeting has been scheduled.

“He’s an attractive, bright young man and has to be considered a serious candidate for the job,” Roselle said.

Carlesimo had remained in Lexington after his interview Tuesday with the school’s screening committee and Newton.

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 by Kentucky’s overall package.

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.