Mike Dunleavy Sr. makes move to Tulane, college ranks

Former longtime NBA coach Mike Dunleavy Sr. is taking his first college coaching job at Tulane, joining a program that has languished at or below .500 for most of the past two decades since last appearing in the NCAA tournament in 1995.

"I am delighted to have the opportunity to coach the Green Wave and excited to help develop the student-athletes at Tulane into champions," Dunleavy said in a statement.

Dunleavy will be introduced in a news conference Tuesdayat Devlin Fieldhouse, the Green Wave's on-campus basketball arena.

The 62-year-old Dunleavy, whose hiring was announced Monday, is a Brooklyn, New York, native who played for South Carolina before a lengthy career as an NBA player and coach. He has been the head coach of four NBA teams, most recently the Los Angeles Clippers from 2003 to 2010. He previously coached the Los Angeles Lakers (1990-92), Milwaukee Bucks (1992-96) and Portland Trail Blazers (1997-2001), being named NBA Coach of the Year in 1998-99.

"His reputation as a great evaluator of talent, master of strategy and teacher of the game defines him today as one of the top basketball minds in the country at any level," athletic director Troy Dannen said in a statement. "His commitment to Tulane athletics is a game-changer for our program."

This marks the second major hire at Tulane for Dannen, who took over as Green Wave athletic director in December. He has also hired new football coach Willie Fritz.

Dunleavy's six-year hiatus from coaching ends as he replaces Ed Conroy, who was fired after six seasons. Conroy finished this season 12-22.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.