Doug Gottlieb Interested In Kansas State Coaching Job

NewsOn6.com

BRISTOL, Connecticut – ESPN analyst and former Oklahoma State point guard Doug Gottlieb has made it clear that he is interested in the Kansas State head coaching vacancy.

Former Wildcats coach Frank Martin recently left the school to take over the head coaching position at South Carolina.

Gottlieb told The Manhattan (Kan.) Mercury that he thinks he would be an unorthodox but successful candidate for the job.

"I'm pretty self aware and I understand that the idea is not necessarily out of left field, but it would not technically be the norm for an athletic director," Gottlieb told The Mercury on Thursday. "But I do believe if given the chance I would do it pretty well."

He said he has not spoken directly with KSU athletic director John Currie but has been in touch with multiple people at the university about the position.

Gottlieb played at Oklahoma State University from 1998-2000 and quickly became the school's all-time leader in assists. He led the nation in the category during the 1999-2000 season, when OSU reached the national quarterfinals.

His father, Bob, was an assistant coach at Kansas State from 1971-73 for coach Jack Hartman. And his brother Gregg has been an assistant at the college level for a number of years.

After an unsuccessful attempt at an NBA career, Gottlieb began to work his way through the ranks at ESPN and became one of its top college basketball analysts.

Gottlieb told the Mercury that nothing great has ever happened without taking a chance.

"They took a chance on Frank (Martin) and he hit it out of the park," he said. "I think if a guy hadn't coached before — but somebody who people believe knows the game well enough to coach and is smart enough to surround himself with really smart people who have been head coaches and need a gig — because that's what I'd do. I'd love the opportunity."