Former UA player and graduate manager Joseph Blair is leaving Arizona after two seasons on the Wildcats' staff.
Blair said via email today that he was not offered a position with the Wildcats for next season.
"I would love to continue coaching but until that situation presents itself, I will be advocating for the community as I always have," wrote Blair, who is vacationing out of the country.
Since Blair was technically the "graduate manager" he was year-to-year. He served as the "undergraduate assistant coach" in 2013-14.
In both roles, he's had significant impact as an active big man coach who actually went head-to-head with Kaleb Tarczewski and the Wildcats' other big men over the past two seasons. As a manager, he was allowed to get on the floor and practice with the players.
Blair, who was pursuing a master's in education leadership, said a year ago he was leaning toward a coaching career even as he's kept involved with the community. Blair also runs the Blair Charity Group, which has a mini-golf fundraiser and is involved with a tuition-free basketball camp.
Earlier this week, UA coach Sean Miller lost assistant coach Damon Stoudamire to Memphis while graduate manager David Miller left to become a video coordinator at Alabama.
The NCAA gave UA a "public recognition award" for having a multi-year Academic Progress Report score in the top 10 of its sport (from 2010-11 through 2013-14). Stanford and ASU also received the honor through the 2013-14 seasons (this year's individual APR scores will be announced on May 27).
You can see the results by searching the NCAA's database here.
Arizona has generally increased its APR score under Miller despite heavy transition early in his UA career. The metric rates programs on retention and eligibility but allows for credits if players leave early but do so while eligible and sign pro contracts (and all of the early pro departures are believed to have have left with eligibility intact, rather than dropping out of school upon declaring for the draft).
UA also was not assessed retention or eligibility demerits when Sidiki Johnson was dismissed without finishing the semester under bizarre circumstances in December 2011.
Now that the NBA lottery is set, Draft Express predicts Charlotte will be looking to address a "fairly porous situation on the wing" by taking Stanley Johnson at No. 9.
Draft Express' latest mock draft has Rondae Hollis-Jefferson going to Toronto at No. 20, with Brandon Ashley and T.J. McConnell still undrafted.
Turns out, Mark Phelps knows there is literally no margin for error when it comes to dealing with potential boss Sean Miller... on the court, at least.
In the 2011 Shots for the Heart charity competition, Phelps made all but one of his 25 free throws when matched up against Miller -- and lost. Miller was perfect.
