Sources: Dixon has no interest in Cal, enjoys coaching Pittsburgh

ESPN.com news services

Updated: March 29, 2008, 3:19 AM ET

Jamie Dixon is happy in Pittsburgh.

But that doesn't mean he hasn't had at least one inquiry this spring.

Multiple sources told ESPN.com that Cal made an attempt to hire Dixon within 24 hours of firing Ben Braun. Dixon told the Bears he wanted to stay at Pitt.

Arizona State also tried to hire Dixon before Herb Sendek took the job in the spring of 2006.

There is a perception that Dixon wants to move back to the West Coast because he is from Santa Barbara and his wife is from Hawaii. In truth, he is not looking to get back there as his family thoroughly enjoys living in Pittsburgh.

Dixon is 132-40 in five seasons at Pittsburgh. The Panthers have reached the NCAA tournament in each season, going to the Sweet 16 in 2004 and 2007.

Information from ESPN.com senior writer Andy Katz was used in this report.

The man has integrity.

Aren't there rumors going around about Indiana looking at Dixon?

Jackson

Maize Wrote:Dixon told the Bears he wanted to stay at Pitt.

In truth, he is not looking to get back there as his family thoroughly enjoys living in Pittsburgh.

Seems pretty clear to me what he will tell IU.

Jamie has a great gig in Pittsburgh. He has a great venue with terrific fan support, he is paid comparable to his peers, he can pull talent from NYC, Philly, and the DC area, he has the total support of the administration, his family is happy, and he has the chance to become Pitt's Dean Smith. Pitt is in arguably the most high profile conference in the country (in BB) and he gets respect from his peers and props from the media. He coaches against 3 coaches that have won national championships and holds his own against them. (In truth he owns Boeheim) Ben Howland said that UCLA was the only job in the country he would have left Pitt for and I believe him. Pitt is a terrific job and they will pay Jamie what he is worth.

As for IU, the only connection they have to Pitt is they will be calling an alum the minute Xavier gets knocked out of the tourney. I will be shocked if they don't make a serious run at Sean Miller.

Pitt has nothing to sweat about. I doubt that he will leave, but even if he does you would have one of the hottest young coaches ready to step in. Miller from Xavier played at Pitt and would have to believe that is his long term dream job.

I heard indiana may look to sean miller. Pitt should extend dixon and stay the course. He has a good system. I know they wan to recruit better, but they would have to get someone like a huggins or howland or calipari. Don't see it happening.

I think Dixon needs that one special season where he can go to NY and win the BET and still have the gas to go real deep or even win it all. If that happens, then the program could very well reach the zenith of college basketball.

Problem is, and I really never believed it until this year, Pitts rich history in the BET is killing them for the NCAA tourney. I used to think the BET was more important but I am doubting that too.

FWIW, I live in the San Francisco area, and I have some ties to Cal, including some of their boosters. This report is the first I've heard of Cal going after Dixon. Most of the talk has been centered on Mike Montgomery (to give an extra "FU" to Stanford), Tony Bennett from Washington State and Randy Bennett from St. Mary's.

USFFan

I don't think it's integrity so much as to live the way he can in Pittsburgh out in California, he'd have to make about 4 times the salary he earns now. Living is expensive in California.

Supposedly the buyout on Sean Miller is quite high, so much that Indiana has ruled him out supposedly.

mattsarz Wrote:Supposedly the buyout on Sean Miller is quite high, so much that Indiana has ruled him out supposedly.

The Indiana buyout is 2 million dollars. Indiana has fallen a long way if they can't pay a 2 million dollar buyout in order to get their basketball program back to national prominence. Especially since the Sampson buyout is, I believe, under a million dollars.

The buyout of Sampson in total was around $800K I think but a donor covered the majority of it. I can understand if there isn't an outside source who isn't willing to cover more coaching salaries and buyouts.

In the case of Miller, I think he'd rather stay at Xavier right now. He's been able to build on what Matta and others in the past had. He has a better chance to dominate a conference and regularly make NCAA appearances (I think Xavier's made 17 tournaments in the past 25 years).