Roy Williams Garnering Interest From Lakers?

Roy Williams is reportedly a candidate to fill the vacant coaching job for the Los Angeles Lakers according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.

Mike Bresnahan, the Lakers beat writer for the Times, tweeted Monday evening that the Lakers were going to eventually talk to Williams to garner any possible interest.

Mitch Kupchak, the Lakers GM, graduated from North Carolina and starred for the basketball team under Dean Smith, so the “Carolina Connection” is strong.

However, when approached about taking over as coach of the Lakers in 2004, Williams declined to be interviewed for the job. That was one year after Williams left his job at Kansas to return to Chapel Hill to coach the Tar Heels.

Williams joined an “interview list” that also includes another coach with UNC ties–George Karl–as well as John Calipari and Kevin Ollie, who coached UConn to an NCAA title this season.

Doubtful that Williams would leave Chapel Hill for the bright lights of Hollywood at the age of 63, but you can’t blame Kupchak for at least trying.

If nothing else, Kupchak may just want to talk to Williams about who might be a good fit for the Lakers going forward.