Bill Walton’s latest basketball brainstorm is so crazy, it might just work.
The ESPN basketball analyst urged UCLA on Thursday night to hire Barack Obama as head coach of its men’s basketball team. Walton floated the far-fetched idea during ESPN’s broadcast of UCLA’s win over Stanford.
“Barack Obama,” Walton said when asked who should be the Bruins’ next coach.
When pressed for a seemingly more realistic pick, Walton doubled down on his Obama-to-UCLA idea.
“Why are you so negative? Why do you just turn down? His brother-in-law (Craig Robinson) coached (at Oregon State University and Brown University). I’m sticking with Barack Obama until he says ‘no.’ ”
UCLA on Monday fired Steve Alford as coach Monday after five-plus seasons. Murry Bartow currently is coaching on an interim basis, but the search for Alford’s permanent successor is becoming a topic of national interest.
Los Angeles Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball on Thursday urged the school to hire Earl Watson. If the UCLA job rises to the level of geopolitical interest, Obama should consider heeding Walton’s call.
