By ADAM ZAGORIA
MINNEAPOLIS — Kevin Willard will remain as the Seton Hall coach and isn’t taking the Virginia Tech job.
“Yes,” a source close to Willard said Saturday morning. “He wants to stay.”
Virginia Tech had targeted Willard, who turned 44 Saturday, to replace Buzz Williams after he left for Texas A&M. But Willard opted to remain at Seton Hall, which he has led to four straight NCAA Tournaments.
“Nothing to talk about, I’m at my desk,” Willard said by text on Friday.
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— Seton Hall Basketball (@SetonHallMBB) April 6, 2019
Williams reportedly made $3 million this past season at the ACC school, which would have been a significant pay raise from what Willard now makes, which is closer to $2 million.
Still, Willard is a unique guy and has multiple reasons to stay in the Big East. He has family in the area, he has potential top-15 type team next year and he remains very loyal to rising senior guard Myles Powell, who is testing the NBA Draft waters while maintaining his eligibility.
Asked last month about potentially leaving Seton Hall, Willard told NJ Advance Media: “No, I mean I don’t think about it that way. I love where I am. I’ve been here nine years, my family loves it here. You never think about anything besides your own job so if the Knicks called, yeah, I might take that job.”
Rick Pitino, Willard’s mentor, said he was surprised that other schools hadn’t come calling for Willard.
“The fact that nobody has been beating down his door is the biggest puzzle of my life,” Pitino, who was Willard’s boss with the Boston Celtics and at Louisville, told NJ Advance Media last month by phone from Greece, where he’s coaching. “Seton Hall is a very difficult job. I’m not knocking the job. Everybody has missiles and jets and they all have these brand new practice facilities and they have everything. And Kevin doesn’t have any of that and he still has maintained that program at a high level.”
Seton Hall athletic director Pat Lyons last month declined to comment on whether Willard was in line for a contract extension given his recent success, but he gave his coach and close friend a strong vote of confidence.
“Kevin has done a tremendous job with our program, not only making Seton Hall an annual contender for the Big East championship and earning NCAA bids, but also developing our student-athletes into well-rounded, complete men,” Lyons told NJ Advance Media via email. “Our team competes hard on the court, they compete hard in the classroom, they serve in the community, they are great ambassadors with our fans and alumni and they become proud graduates of Seton Hall University. Kevin’s vision for this program has led to great success, and we are looking forward to another exciting NCAA Tournament with his group.”
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