I have continued talking with sources and gathering as much as I can about the whole situation that became public today. For starters, this was not something that transpired quickly for Stoudamire. It was something he has been talking about as a serious option with those close to him for weeks now.
Josh Pastner really wanted to get Stoudamire back in the fold and he even had to let go his own assistant Aki Collins to make it happen. He will join the Memphis staff as Pastner's lead assistant and he was offered more money to take the job that he held previously two years ago.
Still, money was not the deciding factor by any means and really was not on the first wave of things that Stoudamire considered when it came to his decision. One thing that made the choice of Memphis an easy one is that the former Wildcat standout and assistant coach still has a house there and would make the move back an easy one.
Along with being closer to his kids in Atlanta, one of the bigger reasons Stoudamire is leaving according to my sources is the atmosphere that is being built at Arizona. I already discussed earlier about the type of grind it takes to be an assistant on Sean Miller's staff and after spending two years in that role things just didn't end up how Stoudamire thought they would when he signed up for the job.
It's not a big secret to those around the program, but Miller is trying to put his own stamp on how he wants Arizona basketball to run and it is just different from the days of Lute Olson in terms of the atmosphere of the program.
Josh Pastner really wanted to get Stoudamire back in the fold and he even had to let go his own assistant Aki Collins to make it happen. He will join the Memphis staff as Pastner's lead assistant and he was offered more money to take the job that he held previously two years ago.
Still, money was not the deciding factor by any means and really was not on the first wave of things that Stoudamire considered when it came to his decision. One thing that made the choice of Memphis an easy one is that the former Wildcat standout and assistant coach still has a house there and would make the move back an easy one.
Along with being closer to his kids in Atlanta, one of the bigger reasons Stoudamire is leaving according to my sources is the atmosphere that is being built at Arizona. I already discussed earlier about the type of grind it takes to be an assistant on Sean Miller's staff and after spending two years in that role things just didn't end up how Stoudamire thought they would when he signed up for the job.
It's not a big secret to those around the program, but Miller is trying to put his own stamp on how he wants Arizona basketball to run and it is just different from the days of Lute Olson in terms of the atmosphere of the program.
