The Philadelphia 76ers are likely going to want to strike big in their attempt to replace recently-fired head coach Brett Brown.
One name has come to the forefront in discussions related to the now-vacant job is respected Villanova head coach Jay Wright. That’s no longer the case.
Jay Wright no longer a candidate for Sixers head coach job
Wright took to social media on Wednesday to remove his name from consideration.
“Out of respect for our Villanova community and our 76ers organization, I feel the need to address speculation about the 76ers head coach position,” Wright said in a statement. “The 76ers have a great leader in Elton Brand, outstanding young talent, and an incredible opportunity for any coach to compete for a championship. As a lifetime 76ers fan, I have confidence they will bring in the right coach to build on what Brett Brown has developed. I am not a candidate for the job. I am very happy and honored to coach at Villanova.”
Wright, 58, was born in Churchville, Pennsylvania. That’s about 26 miles outside of Philadelphia. Given his proximity to the City of Brotherly Love as Villanova’s head coach, this connection always made sense.
With that said, Wright has been clear on multiple occasions in the past that he’s happy coaching college ball.
Under his leadership, Villanova has earned two national titles in 19 seasons. The program has also made it to the NCAA Tournament 15 of the past 16 seasons.
Where does the Sixers’ head coach search stand?
It’s still extremely early in the process. The obvious names have been bandied about as possibilities, including Los Angeles Lakers assistant head coach Jason Kidd.
With Wright and Kidd listed previously as top candidates, it’s clear that Philadelphia is looking for someone with experience to man the bench. That eliminates some of the options we mentioned in previous articles.
For now, Wright is out. Expect more rumors and reports of potential interviews to surface here soon.