Lavin, St. John's to Meet Monday | Zagsblog
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Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
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Sunday / October 13.
  • Lavin, St. John’s to Meet Monday

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    Steve Lavin and St. John’s AD Chris Monasch will meet Monday in what could be a prelude to the former UCLA coach becoming the next head coach at St. John’s.

    “He will interview at some point Monday,” a source with knowledge said.

    “Both sides are really excited.”

    If the meeting goes well, Lavin could be named the successor to Norm Roberts, who was fired last week after six seasons.

    “If there was a candidate that really came in and was incredibly impressive, I
    think you can declare that you’ve found your new coach,” the source said.

    Lavin compiled a 145-78 record at UCLA. He took the Bruins to the NCAA Sweet 16 six times and posted six straight 20-win seasons.

    He was fired by UCLA after posting a 10-19 record during the 2002-03 season and has worked at ESPN since.

    St. John’s has already swung and miss on Florida’s Billy Donovan and Georgia Tech’s Paul Hewitt. Monasch met Friday with Boston College coach Al Skinner but reportedly had concerns about the makeup of his staff, which lacks any assistants with ties to the New York AAU base.

    “I think it would be very difficult for him to maintain his entire staff,” the source said.

    The source said Lavin, 45, was putting together a “dream team” of former head coaches and assistants that could include former Virginia coach Dave Leitao, a 49-year-old New Bedford, Mass., native.

    There is a local push for former interim Fordham coach Jared Grasso and for New Heights athletic director Kimani Young, both of whom have tremendous ties to the local talent base in New York and New Jersey.

    “Anybody who comes in here is gonna have to New Yorkers on his staff,” the source said.

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    (Photo courtesy AP)

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    Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle. A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.

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