Arizona coach Lute Olson won’t return to the team this season.
According to multiple sources close to the situation, the 73-year-old coach will sit out the remainder of the season, with plans to come back in 2008.
Olson said he was taking an immediate and indefinite leave of absence to tend to a “personal matter” just prior to the start of the season. A little more than a week ago, Olson decided to attend practices but leave the coaching duties to interim coach Kevin O’Neill.
Olson was at Arizona’s practice on Wednesday but did not accompany the team on its flight Thursday afternoon to Chicago, where it will play Illinois at the United Center.
Arizona athletic director Jim Livengood told FOXSports.com last week that Olson could be away from the team for a day, month or even a year.
After the latest development, O’Neill will coach the team for the remainder of the season. The Wildcats are 5-2 under O’Neill, and are coming off a 78-67 win against Texas A&M on Sunday.
Olson has a 780-280 record in 34 seasons as a major college coach. In 24 years at Arizona, he is 589-187 with 23 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. His Wildcats have won 11 Pac-10 championships, reached the Final Four four times and won the 1997 NCAA title.
Source: Olson to sit miss rest of season
