UCLA Basketball: 5 coaches that could replace Steve Alford

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Eric Musselman of the Nevada Wolf Pack gestures to his team during the championship game of the 2018 Continental Tire Las Vegas Holiday Invitational basketball tournament against the Massachusetts Minutemen at the Orleans Arena on November 23, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nevada defeated Massachusetts 110-87. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /

5. Eric Musselman, Nevada coach

One of the best coaches on the West Coast, Musselman has turned Nevada into a consensus top-10 team and have many picking them to be a Final Four team.

He is only in his fourth year at the school and has won at least 24 games every year, earning NCAA Tournament bids each of the last two and making the Sweet 16 last year. That consistent success is certainly something UCLA is looking to replicate.

Musselman also has NBA experience, something the Bruins are very interested in. He coached the Golden State Warriors from 2002-2004 and the Sacramento Kings in 2006-07 before moving to the G-League and then the college game. Nevada is the first head coaching job he has had at the collegiate level.

However, Nevada’s success is largely due to the transfers Musselman has been able to bring in. Almost everyone on their roster started their careers at other schools, causing Nevada to earn the nickname “Transfer U.”

The Bruins are a school that needs a high-profile recruiter much more than someone who relies on transfers. Musselman has shown some recruiting prowess by landing five-star big man Jordan Brown in the 2018 class, but the reliance on transfers may cause UCLA to put Musselman a little further down their list.

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