Silver anniversary for Silver Fox Olson enters 25th season as UA coach hungrier than ever

Twenty-five years ago, the Arizona Wildcats’ basketball program was a disaster.

After a 4-24 season in 1981-82, the Wildcats were the laughing stock of college hoops and appeared to have no hope to turn things around.

Meanwhile, an up-and-coming coach had led the University of Iowa to a Final Four appearance the year before.

This man from North Dakota had established himself among the sport’s elite and could take just about any coaching job he wanted after taking Iowa to five-consecutive NCAA tournaments.

Desperate for a change of scenery and a new challenge in 1983, this man made his way to Tucson, much to the surprise of nearly everyone who followed college basketball at the time.

Why would this man, widely considered among the sport’s brightest coaching prospects, take over a program with no tradition and no hope in sight?

Twenty-five years later, this former laughing stock is now one of the nation’s most successful and respected programs.

After an unprecedented 23 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, 11 Pac-10 titles, four Final Four appearances, his 2002 induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the 1997 National Championship, Robert Luther “Lute” Olson is not only the heart and soul of Arizona basketball, he is among the most important figures in the history of college hoops.

At 73 years of age and with a list of accomplishments that would put just about every other coach to shame, what keeps Olson motivated?

“It’s all about winning,” Olson said during last Tuesday’s media day. “Winning never gets old.”

After wrapping up his playing career at Augsburg College in Minneapolis — where he majored in history and physical education — Olson began his coaching career in 1956 when he took over the Mahnomen High School basketball program.

Olson coached at five different high schools until taking over at Long Beach Community College in 1969.

He took his first Division I job, he took Long Beach State to an undefeated conference record and a Big West title in his only season on campus.

After his aforementioned nine-year tenure at Iowa made him one of college basketball’s most sought-after coaches, he decided to take on the biggest challenge of his career.

“When I look back on my time here at Arizona, it feels good to look at where our program is now, compared to where it was at the start,” Olson said.

Olson’s 51-year coaching career is among the longest active tenures in basketball.

In fact, Olson began teaching the game before fellow Pac-10 coaches Ben Howland (UCLA), Herb Sendek (Arizona State), Tony Bennett (Washington State), Lorenzo Romar (Washington), Trent Johnson (Stanford), Jay John (Oregon State) were born.

USC’s Tim Floyd (53), California’s Ben Braun (53) and Oregon’s Ernie Kent (52) were still learning to walk while Olson was teaching the Mahnomen Indians how to properly box out and how to set a solid screen.

“Coach Olson has seen and done everything,” said sophomore point guard Nic Wise. “When he gives you a piece of advice, you listen.”

While Olson has proven to be an excellent motivator and game coach, it is his adaptability that has kept him successful over these past five decades.

Back when he was recruiting top-notch recruits like Sean Elliott, college stars were expected to stay for four seasons. That simply isn’t the case anymore.

With the big dollars and bright lights of the NBA enticing kids to forgo their college eligibility, Olson has managed to send 31 of his players—including 12 first-round picks—to the NBA draft, including current stars Gilbert Arenas, Mike Bibby, Jason Terry and Richard Jefferson.

“Coach has a proven track record of getting players to the next level,” said Pac-10 Player of the Year candidate Chase Budinger. “It’s always been my dream to play in the NBA and there is no better place to achieve that goal than at the University of Arizona.”

Olson has seen the game undergo some radical changes since his first season at Arizona, but he said the basics still remain the same.

“No matter what, it’s still just basketball,” Olson said.

His players say he’s just as intense during practice as any coach they’ve ever had.

“I know I’m at least 10 times the player now than what I was when I first got here,” said sophomore power forward Jordan Hill. “Coach Olson has shown me all these tricks and techniques I had never even thought about.”

Of course, Olson won’t run the Wildcats forever.

Olson brought on former Arizona assistant and Toronto Raptors coach Kevin O’Neill this off-season—the man who many believe is Olson’s heir apparent to the Wildcats’ head-coaching job.

His tough, defensive-minded, disciplined approach is already leaving an impression on the players and coaching staff.

“I’ve known Kevin for going on 18 years now,” Olson said. “He’s a terrific basketball coach and the kids have responded well to him.”

But at an age where most people settle into retirement, Olson shows no signs of slowing down.

In addition to his duties as Arizona’s basketball coach, Olson has been heavily involved in Southern Arizona charities—most notably the annual CATwalk, which works in conjunction with Better Than Ever and the University of Arizona Greek community to raise funds for the Bobbi Olson Fund for women’s cancer research.

This year’s CATwalk is taking place next Wednesday, with all of the information available at www.catwalk.arizona.edu.

His Wildcats began their 2007-08 campaign last night with the annual Pepsi Red-Blue scrimmage at McKale Center, officially beginning his Silver Anniversary campaign with the school he has turned into a basketball institution.

“I know there are high expectations around here now, which is what I set out to accomplish when I started here,” Olson said. “We have a culture of winning here.”

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