Trail Blazers Pick Carlesimo

P.J. Carlesimo, who transformed Seton Hall from a college basketball also-ran into a Big East powerhouse, was named coach of the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday.

Carlesimo, 45, reportedly will be paid $1.5 million a year in the five-year deal, making him one of the highest-paid coaches in the NBA.

“This was not something that I applied for,” Carlesimo said. “This was just something that came to me as a dream. It was a very easy decision.”

Carlesimo replaces Rick Adelman, who was fired after 5 1/2 seasons with the club. The new coach inherits an aging team that was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs the last two years after making it to the NBA finals in 1990 and 1992.

Carlesimo brings a reputation as a likable man off the court but intense and sometimes confrontational with his players.

“I think the biggest difference is I’m dealing with men now,” he said. “My style needs to be improved for the dialogue that I’m going to have with these guys. But I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.”

Carlesimo had a 212-166 record in 12 years as Seton Hall’s coach. He led the Pirates to the NCAA championship game in 1989, losing to Michigan, 80-79 in overtime. He also coached at New Hampshire and Wagner.

College Basketball

A Cincinnati judge sentenced former Louisville basketball player Troy Smith to five to 25 years in prison Thursday for killing his girlfriend during an argument. Police said Kelly Dwyer, 20, the mother of Smith’s infant son, suffered severe head injuries when Smith threw her to the floor Feb. 18 in their Cincinnati apartment. She died later that day without regaining consciousness. Smith played for the Cardinals from 1989 to 1993.

Auto Racing

Speculation that former world champion Nigel Mansell will return to Formula One racing increased with reports that he has signed a $1-million deal with the Williams-Renault team.

English newspapers said the British driver will test-drive for Williams at the Brands Hatch circuit on Tuesday, then travel to Magny-Cours to drive in the French Grand Prix on July 3.

A spokeswoman for Williams confirmed that the team would be testing at Brands Hatch, but would not reveal the names of the drivers.

A report in the London Times said that Williams’ engine supplier, Renault, pushed for the deal to entice Mansell from the Indy car circuit, where he drives for the Newman-Haas team.

Mansell, who left Formula One after winning the world title for Williams in 1992, is preparing for his next Indy car race this weekend in Portland, Ore. The reigning Indy car champion is under contract for the rest of the season to Newman-Haas.