Reggie Geary's sidetracked coaching career is apparently set to resume in the NBA Development League.
The former Wildcat basketball star is expected to be named an assistant coach with the newly formed Anaheim Arsenal, UA associate head coach Jim Rosborough said.
Rosborough said it was "my impression that he's taken that job" and that Geary was no longer working in the UA office.
"My understanding is that he has spoken to coach (Lute Olson) and I think he's going over to that team," Rosborough said. Olson was unavailable for comment.
Geary was hired as a UA assistant coach in June 2005 but was moved to an administrative position six weeks later.
He said last week he was seeking coaching jobs for the upcoming season but was not available for comment Thursday.
Arsenal spokesman Garrett Anderson said Thursday that no assistant coach hires have been announced.
Since July 28, 2005, Geary has served as UA's recruiting and operations coordinator, a role that focused primarily on supporting the team's operations during home games and practices. He was paid $61,020, according to UA records, but the position did not allow him to recruit off campus or coach on the floor last season.
Geary initially declined to comment on the move shortly after being reassigned but said during the middle of last season that he accepted it.
"I don't have time to be bitter," Geary said then. "When things like this happen, it's not going to help to be bitter."
The staffing problem arose after Olson hired former Wildcat star Miles Simon as an assistant on July 21, 2005. Both Geary and Simon had just finished their UA degrees, making them eligible to coach there.
But NCAA rules allow only four coaches on staff, and with Olson, Rosborough and assistant Josh Pastner in place, somebody had to move.
Olson indicated last year that he considered Rosborough for an administrative role but opted against it.
"We knew we wanted both guys (Simon and Geary) in the program, and it became a case of what are the relative strengths?" Olson said last summer. "Reggie is tremendously organized and very effective in a lot of ways. We felt he would do a tremendous job and (the staff reorganization) became a situation of what 'Roz' would feel most comfortable with" in the role he would fill.
Geary worked alongside video coordinator Jack Murphy, who already handles most of the team's road coordinator duties so no replacement for Geary is expected.
Getting the Anaheim job should help Geary by offering him a chance to get back on the floor, Rosborough said.
"He wanted to coach in the first place," Rosborough said. "There's only so many coaching spots. He's got to get to where he's comfortable mentally."
Geary, 34, spent two years in the NBA with Cleveland and San Antonio while also playing in Israel, Portugal, France, Ukraine and in the Continental Basketball Association.
The Arsenal announced last month that former NBA veteran Larry Smith will serve as its first head coach.
Rim shots
● Forward Ivan Radenovic will play during the team's Sept. 1-4 exhibition trip to Vancouver, after he was cut from the Serbia and Montenegro national team. Radenovic made the preliminary team for the World Championships last month but was cut in part because of his UA commitments, Serbia-Montenegro coach Dragan Sakota told FIBA.com. Radenovic would have missed the Vancouver trip and been behind for the fall semester if he made the team.
● Guard Jawann McClellan is expected to be healthy enough to play in Vancouver after undergoing surgery to repair cartilage in his right knee in April. He also is coming off wrist surgery that ended his season after just two games last January.
● The Wildcats will hold their 10 NCAA-allowed practices before the Vancouver trip between Aug. 21 and Aug. 31, then will leave on Sept. 1. They will play Saskatchewan and British Columbia on Sept. 2, the Vancouver All-Stars and Simon Fraser on Sept. 3 and British Columbia again in the morning of Sept. 4 before returning home that afternoon.
● ASU received an oral commitment from Artesia (Calif.) guard James Harden, a Top 20 prospect in the class of 2007. ASU coach Herb Sendek hired Artesia coach Scott Pera to be the Sun Devils' director of basketball operations.
Shifting Geary ● How Reggie Geary arrived at a job with the NBA Development League:
l Hired at Flowing Wells High School to be assistant coach to Bob Herrick.
l After graduating, Geary hired as UA assistant coach.
l After graduating, Miles Simon hired as UA assistant coach.
l Geary appointed to administrative spot because NCAA rules allow only four coaches.
l UA associate head coach Jim Rosborough confirms Geary moving to NBA DL.
