Westhead Heads West To Coach Oregon

((HT: KVAL/Tom Ward))

No, it's not what you're thinking... it's for the women's team there...
Paul Westhead is the only coach to win an NBA title as a head coach ((the Lakers)) and a WNBA title ((the Phoenix Mercury)). He was out when PJ Carlesimo was done in Oklahoma City.

So, what's next...? Pac-10 women's hoops...

"The single most thing that attracted me was, it was the women's game. I was smitten in Phoenix by the way they played," he said. "If I'm doing anything, I'm here to try and recapture that excitement for me."

Westhead, known for his run-and-gun teams, has never been head coach of a women's college team. He becomes the sixth coach in the history of Oregon women's basketball.

"Over the years, Paul Westhead coached teams are the epitome of exciting and entertaining basketball. He clearly has a reputation as one of the top teachers of the game on both the men's and women's side," outgoing Oregon athletic director Pat Kilkenny said.

Westhead was coach of the Mercury for two seasons before joining the Thunder. He was 41-27 overall in Phoenix. At the college level, Westhead coached the men's team at Loyola Marymount from 1985-90, taking the Lions to three straight NCAA tournaments. Loyola Marymount made the round of eight in 1990. Westhead has also coached men's teams at George Mason and La Salle.

Westhead's 1980 championship Lakers included Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and rookie Magic Johnson. He was with the Lakers from 1979-82.

Westhead also was head coach of the Chicago Bulls during the 1982-83 season.

He has not met with Oregon's players, because they are on spring break, but they were all e-mailed.

"I can only say to you that I feel confident that I will be able to have our players very competitive and I will tell them this: I want our team next season, home and away, to show up in an arena and look at the opponents and say, 'I don't know if we're going to win or lose tonight, but I'll tell you one thing, you are going to be very tired at the end of the game. We're going to wear you out.' "

Smith, a former All-American as a player for the Ducks from 1978-82, was 123-121 in eight seasons as head coach at Oregon.

Here's KVAL's coverage...