Jason Gardner’s old Arizona basketball number, 22, is one of four that hang on the wall at McKale Center, a tribute to his four seasons as a UA guard, 1999-2003, in which he led the Wildcats to 107 victories and berths in the Final Four, the Elite Eight and the Sweet 16.
One of his top accomplishments was earning his degree, which, when his European basketball career ended in 2010, made him eligible to be a college coach.
On Monday, Gardner is expected to be announced as the head coach of his hometown school, IUPUI, a Summit League team in Indianapolis, with a salary starting at close to $300,000
I saw Gardner at the 2012 Pac-12 tournament at Las Vegas, at which he was installed into the league’s Hall of Honor. He introduced me to his three little boys — Jasper, Jacob and Jason Jr. He was all smiles.
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Gardner spent this season on Josh Pastner’s staff at Memphis, and the previous two years as a Loyola (Ill.) assistant coach.
It won’t be easy for Gardner; IUPUI was 26-70 the last three seasons, a commuter school with a small fan base.
The Jaguars averaged an alarmingly low 615 fans at home games. The facility, “the Jungle,” holds just 1,215 and shares a building with a swimming natatorium.
But it’s a foot in the door, in a bad league,
and if Gardner recruits anywhere as near well
as he played, a dogged competitor, he might get it done.
Contact sports columnist Greg Hansen at 520-573-4145 or ghansen@azstarnet.com. On Twitter @ghansen711
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