Lavin Distances Himself More

Steve Lavin said goodbye.

Again.

But not for the last time, because he remains the UCLA coach for at least three more weeks.

Lavin has acknowledged his impending firing on several occasions but never as directly as in his weekly news conference Tuesday.

He breezily rattled off leading candidates to succeed him while two members of the Bruin sports information staff sat squirming in the back of the room.

“Ben Howland, Mark Few, Bob Williams, Pat Douglass, Roy Williams,” he said. “I’d go with those five. That’s the short list we’re operating with.”

He might have added Rick Majerus, Mike Brey and Lon Kruger, but, of course, Lavin won’t be making the hire. Athletic Director Dan Guerrero, who will, has yet to tell the coach he will be fired at the end of the season.

In Lavin’s mind, however, the writing is not only on the wall, it’s etched on his headstone.

“As soon as you lose [at UCLA], you’re fired,” he said. “You coach each game knowing that if you lose, you create a firestorm.

“This has been a meaningful, challenging experience for 12 years [as an assistant and a head coach] and I wouldn’t have traded it for anything in the world. I’m nothing but thankful and grateful.”

Lavin’s tone shifted from serious reflection to sardonic wit. He said former Bruin Billy Knight, who is playing professionally in the Netherlands, left a voice message urging him to hang in there.

“He said I’d be the coach for another season,” Lavin said. “He must not be getting [newspapers] over there.”

He mentioned that he spoke at Arizona Coach Lute Olson’s luncheon last week, joking that it was, “My last free lunch in Tucson.”

Lavin made it clear that he does not plan to fight for his job, even though he led UCLA to six consecutive 20-victory seasons and five Sweet 16 appearances before the bottom dropped out with this season’s 5-16 team.

And he declined to dispense advice to his successor, whoever it might be.

“Those coaches understand [the expectations] because they’ve coached at the highest level of competitive athletics,” he said. “Clearly, it’s revenue driven. If you produce, you get to coach.

“If you don’t produce, you’re unemployed.”

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Guard Cedric Bozeman sat out practice for a second day in a row because of a bruised right shoulder.

Bozeman suffered the injury against Oregon on Jan. 30 and has aggravated it twice, including Saturday at Arizona State. He played only 12 minutes against the Sun Devils.

Lavin said that Ryan Walcott probably would start at point guard if Bozeman continues to miss practice or cannot play.