Price, Memphis Agree to Terms

Memphis filled its coaching vacancy by agreeing to a five-year contract with Tic Price, the coach at New Orleans the last three years.

Athletic Director R.C. Johnson said Price will have an annual base salary of $130,000 plus $135,000 for promotions and radio and TV shows. Lawyers were still drawing up the contract, and Johnson said he expected it to be signed next week.

Price, 41, had a 63-27 record in his three years at New Orleans, with a 22-7 record this season.

Price replaces Larry Finch, who was forced to resign after 11 years as Memphis’ coach because of falling attendance and criticism over recruiting. Finch had a 220-130 record, making him the school’s winningest coach.

*

Illinois State Coach Kevin Stallings said he has turned down “a very significant amount of money” to become coach at Tennessee.

“I just didn’t feel it was the right situation for me and I didn’t feel like it was the right situation for my family,” Stallings, 36, told radio station WJBC in Bloomington, Ill.

“I have affection for my players, and in a lot of situations I’ve asked them to turn down bigger and better offers, and maybe it was my turn to do something for them.”

*

The National Association of Basketball Coaches, at its annual Final Four meeting in Indianapolis, called for a summit with high school coaches and the NBA to figure out how to restore the importance of education and keep players from leaving college before they’re ready.

“Will kids still go? Yeah,” Duke Coach Mike Kryzyzewski said. “There’s a mind-set that’s created before that youngster ever gets to college. That’s why we want to have a meeting, to find out how to get some other things in their minds.”

The NABC believes the problem starts in high school. Coaches don’t have the relationship they once did with players, and college coaches can’t contact them until September of their junior year. So players are going elsewhere for advice. Friends, boosters, AAU coaches--even agents in some cases--are telling players they’re good enough for the NBA, often before they’re ready.