HoopsHype.com Rumors

Former Tennessee basketball coach Bruce Pearl accepted a job as vice president of marketing with a Knoxville-based wholesale grocery company, bypassing the chance to coach the Texas Legends of the NBA's developmental league. He will begin working at H.T. Hackney on Thursday. The company is led by Chairman and CEO Bill Sansom, a former University of Tennessee trustee. "It's really an answer to prayer," Pearl told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "This is where my family is. This is where I want to be. Everybody looks at me as a coach, but I'm a father and a husband, and I've got to provide for my family." Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Coaching, D-League, Bruce Pearl 

Alex Kennedy: Bruce Pearl has turned down the Texas Legends' offer to become their next head coach, according to sources close to the situation. Twitter

Coaching, D-League, Bruce Pearl 

Pearl was impressed with the Legends' pitch, but ultimately left Frisco without accepting the coaching position. He's keeping his options open and is expected to make a decision in the coming days. HoopsWorld

Coaching, D-League, Bruce Pearl 

The Legends' top competition comes from ESPN, who are offering nearly double what he would make in Texas. Sources close to the situation say that Pearl would be used in a Fran Fraschilla-type role, providing NCAA analysis and possibly NBA Draft coverage as well. HoopsWorld

Coaching, D-League, Bruce Pearl 

It's not quite a done deal yet, but it sure sounds like it could be soon. Donnie Nelson and the Texas Legends rolled out the red carpet for former Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl on Thursday, with a pitch for Pearl to become the NBA Development League team's next head coach. The duo addressed the media at the American Airlines Center and Legends owner Nelson said the team put together "the most aggressive package in D-League history" in an effort to put Pearl at the Legends' helm, a spot left vacant after Nancy Lieberman made a move to the team's front office earlier this month. "He is our A-Man and we are hoping to make something happen," Nelson said. "We have had basketball dialogue all day long. Based on our lunch this afternoon, my wallet is not near as big as Mark [Cuban] but it is wide open." Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Dallas Mavericks, Coaching, Donnie Nelson, Nancy Lieberman, Bruce Pearl 

Earl K. Sneed: Donnie Nelson on what it will take to sign Pearl: "My wallet is not nearly as big as (Mark Cuban's) but it's completely wide open." Twitter

Dallas Mavericks, Coaching, Donnie Nelson, Nancy Lieberman, Bruce Pearl 

Coaching in the D-League is a logical step for Pearl in his quest to break into the NBA as an assistant coach. But Pearl is likely to be in high demand as a television analyst in college basketball after he was fired by Tennessee in the spring, which would presumably be a more lucrative field. But one source said the Legends "are finalizing an offer that will easily be the most lucrative deal in D-League history" in hopes of convincing Pearl to make an immediate return to coaching. The source said that the overall value of the package could approach $500,000. The Legends, sources said, are likewise hoping that the opportunity to coach what arguably ranks as the D-League's most high-profile franchise -- in a certifiable NBA market and with the chance to work closely with the NBA's reigning champions -- will ultimately sway Pearl to take the job. He led the Volunteers to the NCAA tournament in each of his six seasons, making one trip to the Elite Eight and two to the Sweet 16. ESPN.com

D-League, Bruce Pearl 

Alex Kennedy: Bruce Pearl hasn't accepted the Legend's head coaching job yet. Sources say he's also considering a lucrative offer to become a TV analyst. Twitter

Coaching, D-League, Bruce Pearl 

Art Garcia: Bruce Pearl's visit with Donnie Nelson to talk Legends job pushed back from Wed to Thurs afternoon, Donnie says. Twitter

Coaching, D-League, Bruce Pearl 

The Texas Legends are making a hard push to hire former Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl to replace Nancy Lieberman as coach of the D-League franchise, according to NBA coaching sources. Pearl told ESPN.com's Andy Katz that he will interview with the team Thursday in Dallas. "When the world champions call you have to listen," Pearl said. "Mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson have been great and I'm looking forward to talking to them." ESPN.com

Dallas Mavericks, Coaching, D-League, Bruce Pearl 

The Texas Legends are making a hard push to hire former Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl to replace Nancy Lieberman as coach of the D-League franchise, according to NBA coaching sources. Sources told ESPN.com that Pearl will be in Dallas on Wednesday for a formal sitdown with Legends officials after ongoing negotiations between the parties. Said one source: "The job is [Pearl's] if he wants it." ESPN.com

Coaching, D-League, Bruce Pearl 

The Maine Red Claws of the NBA Developmental League are courting ex-Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl for its head coaching job, sources told Yahoo! Sports. Maine president and general manager Jon Jennings recently made contact with Pearl to express an interest in hiring him, and the two are expected to talk further about the job in the near future, sources said. Yahoo! Sports

Coaching, NBADL, Bruce Pearl 

Pearl has privately expressed a preference for his next move to be in television or as an NBA assistant coach, but he’s open to hearing out Maine’s pitch, a source with knowledge of his thinking said. After six seasons at the University of Tennessee, Pearl was fired at the end of the 2010-11 season after lying to NCAA investigators during an inquiry. Pearl has been anxious to find out whether the NCAA will impose restrictions on his immediate return to college coaching. Yahoo! Sports

Coaching, NBADL, Bruce Pearl 

The Maine Red Claws of the NBA Developmental League are courting ex-Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl for its head coaching job, sources told Yahoo! Sports. Maine president and general manager Jon Jennings recently made contact with Pearl to express an interest in hiring him, and the two are expected to talk further about the job in the near future, sources said. Yahoo! Sports

Coaching, NBDL, Bruce Pearl