Call Wading

Rick Pitino confirmed Wednesday that he was called by UCLA Athletic Director Peter Dalis within the past month, and said their conversation was more than a breezy chat.

“He never specifically asked me about the UCLA job,” said Pitino, who resigned this week as coach of the Boston Celtics. “[But] he told me, ‘I’m not sure what’s happening. Our attendance is really down. I’m not sure we can afford someone like you. Are you considering coming back to college basketball?’ ”

On Tuesday, Dalis told reporters that he spoke with Pitino twice during the past month, although he contends the two never discussed the UCLA basketball job, which belongs to Steve Lavin.

UCLA Sports Information Director Marc Dellins said Pitino called Lavin on Wednesday and said he’s not after the UCLA job. Lavin could not be reached for comment.

Dalis declined a request Wednesday to further elaborate on the conversations, but Dellins said the talks were innocuous and not specific.

“Pete was asked by a mutual friend to call Rick to gauge whether he had any interest in returning to college basketball, if something were to happen with the Celtics,” Dellins said. “It was a brief conversation.”

Pitino remembers one conversation, which occurred just before the Celtics took the court to play a road game against the New York Knicks. Dalis recalls two calls, each lasting about five minutes.

Either way, the two men spoke again Tuesday night after a reporter called Pitino for comment on Dalis’ disclosure.

“I got his home number and called him,” Pitino said in a telephone interview Wednesday. “I said, ‘Pete, before I respond to this reporter, did you mention that we spoke?’ . . . I was puzzled. I don’t understand it. I can’t figure this whole thing out.”

Pitino said that Nevada Las Vegas is the only college basketball job he is seriously considering at the moment. He plans to take a trip to Las Vegas soon, and the school reportedly is ready to pay him an annual salary of more than $1 million.

“I’ve put in a call to the people out there [at UNLV],” said Pitino, 48, who is relaxing this week in Miami. “I don’t know anything about their sanctions or probation situation. I’ve already gone through that stuff at Kentucky. So if it’s very severe, I don’t want to deal with it.”

He also said he has been contacted by three other college programs conducting unofficial coaching searches. He declined to name the schools.

“I basically told them to lose my phone number,” he said.

Apparently, Pitino did not tell the same to UCLA, which he called “one of the premier jobs in college basketball.” But he insisted he isn’t waiting in the wings for the Bruin job. In fact, he said he feels sorry for Lavin, who clearly is in an awkward position. On Tuesday, Lavin referred to Pitino as “an opportunist.”

“I understand how Steve Lavin would feel,” Pitino said. “I didn’t really appreciate his comments. But he’s a young guy, someone who might be going through a little bit of what I went through at Boston.

“This isn’t fair to Steve Lavin, and it isn’t fair to me.”

Dick Vitale, a former college coach and current ESPN analyst, spoke to Pitino on Wednesday and was sharply critical of Dalis’ decision to mention the phone calls.

“I really feel so bad for Steve Lavin trying to put a team together--whether you’re in his corner or not--it’s totally unfair to have rumors, rumors, rumors,” he said. “The guy should have the support of his organization.”

Asked if Pitino would be interested in coaching at UCLA, provided the job were open, Vitale said: “The bottom line is UCLA is attractive. It has a marquee basketball program. Those four magical letters are attractive to anyone. But, if anything, [Dalis’ lack of public support for Lavin] will drive a Rick Pitino away. He’s a very proud guy, and he was hurt when he spoke to me this morning.”

There is a lot of speculation that UCLA--a school that never paid John Wooden more than $35,000 a year--couldn’t offer the type of salary Pitino might command. But, when it comes to his next job, he insists money will be an afterthought.

“I really don’t care about the finances, I don’t care about the budgets, all I want to do is win,” he said. “I just left $21 million on the table [in Boston] because I was very unhappy with the opportunity to win. We were working around the clock, and the best we could do is be mediocre. I just don’t want to be mediocre at my age.”

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* WITH HELP LIKE THAT . . .

UCLA Athletic Director Peter Dalis could do with some sensitivity training. T.J. Simers’ column. D2