IU men’s basketball has found its next head coach. Nearly two weeks after firing Archie Miller on March 15, IU named Mike Woodson its 30th head coach in program history.
"Throughout this process, I was looking for someone I could partner with to return Indiana Basketball to a level of success that Hoosier fans have come to know and expect, and Mike is that person,” said Scott Dolson, IU Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, in a statement.
Woodson signed a six-year contract with a base salary of $550,000 and a $2.45 million bonus from outside, marketing and promotional income.
IU has also hired former Ohio State head coach Thad Matta as associate athletic director for men’s basketball administration. Matta will assist Woodson’s new basketball staff.
[Related: A $10,350,000 check: How Archie Miller’s buyout compares to the rest of the Big Ten]
Woodson was the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks from 2004-10 and the New York Knicks from 2011-14. As a head coach in the NBA, Woodson had a 315-365 record and made the NBA playoffs five times. Woodson has never coached in college.
“The guys are excited," graduate-assistant Johnny Jager said. "He’s an NBA guy and that’s what our players aspire to. They want to be in the league and he brings that NBA experience here with him to help both the program and the players.”
Woodson also played at IU under Bob Knight from 1976-80, scoring over 2,000 career-points. The Indianapolis native will be the first former IU player to become head coach full time since Lou Watson in 1965.
As a Hoosier, Woodson led the team to an NIT Championship in 1979 while averaging a team-high 21 points per game.
Woodson is currently an assistant coach on the New York Knicks.
"As a coach, he’s succeeded at the highest levels of the NBA, and he’s mentored some of the game’s all-time great players," Dolson said. "On top of all of that, as one of our program’s legendary players, Mike certainly gives us a bridge to our past. But more important than what he did as a former Hoosier player, he’s someone who shares my vision for what Indiana Basketball is about, and I’m thrilled about what this day means for our program.”
[Related: Establishing an identity: IU men’s basketball looks to future after Archie Miller’s firing]
Matta was the head coach of Ohio State from 2004-2017, with a record of 337-123. Over his 13 seasons with the Buckeyes, Matta made the NCAA Tournament nine times, won four Big Ten Tournament championships and five Big Ten regular-season titles.
While at Ohio State, Matta led the team to two Final Fours. In 2007, the Buckeyes finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the country before falling to the University of Florida in the National Championship. Matta’s second trip to the final four was in 2012 where the team lost to the University of Kansas.
Ohio State and Matta mutually agreed for the head coach to step down June 5, 2017, because of health concerns. The 2016-17 season was the only season Matta failed to win 20 games as a head coach.
This story will be updated.
