LOS ANGELES (AP) — Introduced as UCLA's new basketball coach, Mick Cronin took just a few seconds to utter John Wooden's name for the first of several times.
Cronin called it "an unbelievable, incredible honor" to be named coach of "John Wooden's program."
A bevy of former Bruins players turned out for Cronin's introductory news conference Wednesday, including Jamaal Wilkes and Mike Warren, who played for Wooden, along with Tracy Murray, Kris Johnson, Sean Farnham and Bob Myers, the Golden State Warriors general manager who served on the coaching search committee.
Athletic director Dan Guerrero said he's confident the future of UCLA basketball is in great hands.
Cronin agreed to a $24.5 million, six-year deal. His contract includes up to $300,000 in team and academic bonuses. It has a reciprocal buyout of $19 million if either side wants out before March 31, 2020. The buyout is reduced in subsequent years.
