Sources: USC to Hire Mike Brown as Men’s Basketball Coach

Pat Haden’s long-winded search to find a permanent replacement for Kevin O’Neill at the helm of the USC Men’s Basketball program is over. According to multiple sources close to the third-year athletic director, Haden has offered the job to former Lakers head man Mike Brown, who has reportedly accepted job the offer.

Over parts of seven NBA seasons, Brown has amassed 314 wins and went to the NBA Finals in 2007 with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Brown was hired by the Lakers after the 2011 season and coached one full season, before being fired just days into the 2012-2013 season due to a poor start by the preseason NBA favorites.

Since being fired, Brown has been reclusive, but one source close to the coach told us that he was desperate to get back into the game and that USC was the perfect opportunity, though second on his wish list.

“I talked to Mike last week,” said the source, who refused to go on the record. “He told me then that it was college basketball or bust and more than anything he wanted to stay in Los Angeles. He was hoping that Northridge would give him a call because he felt the expectation level of their basketball program was in line with what he was comfortable getting into, but that never happened. So he decided to settle on USC when Haden mentioned the craft services offered on campus.”

According to an unrelated source close to the USC program, Haden gave Brown a call following an Easter dinner with his family late Sunday night and Mike was right there, with the phone in hand, ready to accept.

Terms of the deal have yet to be leaked, but our sources indicate that Brown was indeed intrigued by learning of the existence of a second Galen Center at USC dedicated to encased meats and puff pastries.

We reached out to both the McKay Center and University Village for comment, but none of our calls, text messages or carrier pigeons were returned. That’s likely because today is April 1st and USC’s athletic offices are shut down in observance of April Fool’s Day. We suggest you have a Happy April Fool’s Day, as well.