Rhode Island Social Blog

Joe Pasternack has resigned as men’s basketball head coach of the University of New Orleans’ team in order to become an assistant coach at the University of Arizona’s men’s basketball team under head coach Sean Miller. “It was very difficult for me being from New Orleans to leave the city that I love,” Pasternack said. “But this was an opportunity, and I’ve looked at many opportunities in the past two years I let go by the wayside, but this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. Sean Miller is the total package. He’s one of the top coaches in all of college basketball.”

Joe Pasternack’s contract at the University of New Orleans was very close to its expiration date, and the plan was for him to sit down with Athletic Director Amy Champion in order to decide on a new deal. That plan completely changed once coach Miller called him. Miller considered a number of candidates for the assistant coach job, but Pasternack’s impressive reputation and wide experience lead Miller to decide that he is the best candidate.

“To me, I just want to be in a situation where we’re competing for Final Fours and national championships,” Pasternack said. “That to me is the most important thing for me and my family, to be in a situation where we can compete at the highest level. This is one of the elite programs in all of America. When you look at Arizona basketball, you can put them at the same level as Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina, Kansas.”

Prior to his coaching career at the University of New Orleans, Pasternack was an assistant coach at California for eight seasons, and also served as a student manager under Coach Bob Knight at Indiana. Coach Knight helped Pasternack to make his decision, and told him that the University of Arizona job is too good to pass up.