Rumor had it that Indiana had a massive offer for Brad Stevens in attempt to entice him to leave the NBA and coach the Hoosiers.
Stevens, though, said the school never ended up pitching it him.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Saturday night reported that Indiana was prepared to offer the Boston Celtics coach a seven-year, $70 million package. Stevens is a successful head coach, and it certainly would take a lot to get him to come back to the NCAA, but many were surprised by this offer. Especially since Indiana ultimately hired Mike Woodson for an $18 million deal.
But if this all sounds a little outlandish, maybe that's because it is. Stevens himself certainly insinuated that Monday in his pregame availability after downplaying any interest in the job for weeks.
"First of all, I was never offered a package, so that's all news to me," Steven said. "Secondly, I wasn't going to leave anyways. And the reason being is because this place, regardless of it was a pro organization or college, has been so good to our family, so good to me. And we owe them, especially in the middle of a very trying season that is, you know, right in the middle of a pandemic, we owe them to stay the course. And so I don't know how long I'm going to coach. I don't know how long I'm going to coach in the NBA. I don't know how long they'll want me to coach in the NBA. I don't know what I'll do after that. Maybe I'll figure out something new, but right now I am thrilled to be the Celtics head coach. It is a great challenge and a great responsibility. And so, you know, try to minimize all the distractions around that but, you know, I was never offered that so I don't know where that came."
Maybe that will settle things for good this time. We feel like Stevens is really sick of fielding this questions.
