Celtics coach Brad Stevens again and again rejected rumors he would leave Boston to return to college and become the coach of the Indiana Hoosiers. The Indiana native said he was happy where he was with the Celtics and in the NBA.
Now we learn just how much he meant it — Indiana was prepared to offer a 7-year, $70 million to Stevens to take over the Indiana program, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Saturday.
.@wojespn says that Indiana was prepared to offer Brad Stevens a seven year, $70m contract.
Stevens wasn’t interested. @abc6 #bleedgreen
— Ian Steele (@IanSteeleABC6) April 18, 2021
Notice the “was prepared to offer” phrasing from Woj, meaning that offer was never officially put on the table. It never got that far because Stevens shot it down before that point.
Indiana eventually hired former Hoosier player and former NBA coach Mike Woodson for the job.
Stevens' Celtics, who are finally healthy, have won six in a row — including beating the Warriors on Saturday — and vaulted up to the four seed in the East.
