Tulsa tabs Danny Manning as new men's hoops coach

Former Jayhawk assistant, star will guide Golden Hurricane

While Danny Manning's name wasn't one of the names being mentioned when Ross Parmley began his search, the college basketball hall-of-famer quickly emerged as a leading candidate as the search progressed according to the Tulsa A.D.

And why shouldn't it have?

No, he doesn't possess head coaching experience. However, he appears to possess most other qualities administrators seek when hiring coaches.

Manning, who starred for the Jayhawks under Larry Brown from 1984-1988, has spent the last nine seasons at his alma mater learning under former Tulsa coach Bill Self. Self, who spent three seasons guiding the Golden Hurricane and led the program to a 32-5 mark in '99-'00 before leaving for Illinois, has compiled 475 wins in 18-plus seasons as a head coach and gives his assistant of nearly a decade a ringing endorsement.

Additionally, the three-time Big Eight Player-of-the-Year was the number one player selected in the 1988 NBA draft and has the benefit of drawing from his 15 years of playing experience in the NBA.

While today's generation likely doesn't even remember any of Manning's pro career which concluded in 2003, they will likely find it appealing to play for a coach who had such an excellent playing career and has coached under someone such as Bill Self.

Those closest to him, such as Self and Brown, feel his laid-back approach will work to his favor on the recruiting trail.

Manning, who is currently coaching Kansas in this weekend's Final Four, will be introduced at a press conference following the conclusion of the Jayhawks' season.

He will inherit a program that Doug Wojcik left on solid footing. The Golden Hurricane finished with a mark of 17-14 this season and were third (of 12) in Conference USA.