Jay Wright To NBA? 'I Hope Not, I Love My Job Here'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- For some, winning a National Championship could change everything. For Jay Wright, he hopes it changes nothing.
Less than 72-hours after his team's 77-74 buzzer-beating championship win over North Carolina Monday night, longtime NBA writer Mitch Lawrence reported that 54-year-old Villanova head coach Jay Wright has "emerged as the top choice" to become the next head coach of the Phoenix Suns.
Wright, on the morning before Villanova's championship parade, was asked by 94WIP's Angelo Cataldi if he would listen to NBA offers.
Related: Villanova Parade Guide
"I don't think so," Wright admitted. "I hope not. I love my job here, I really do."
Listen: Jay Wright on the 94WIP Morning Show
Cataldi asked the Churville, PA native one more time: You wouldn't even listen?
"I hope not," Wright reiterated. "I said that in '09 and they came at you with stuff and you're like, 'Woah!' You gotta stop for a second. I don't want too -- you hope they don't offer you, that's what it is. 'Cause I love my job. I love it here. I'm very happy here, I'm well taken care of at Villanova, I love living in Philly -- my family is from here. I feel so -- you know in college basketball you never get to coach where you live. And when you get into college you know that, you never get to coach where you grew up.
"To be able to do this here, in Philadelphia, to me is a dream."
Related: Villanova Complete Coverage
USA Today reported that Wright made $2.477 million in 2016, 16th most among tournament coaches. For context, Philadelphia 76ers' head coach Brett Brown is making approximately $2 million per season, per otherleague.com.
As a college basketball head coach, first at Hofstra (1994-2001) then at Villanova (2001-present), Wright is 476-242 (.663). He has won four Big East regular season championships, one Big East tournament championship, reached two Final Four's, and now won a National Championship.
