Dixon Reaffirms Commitment to TCU Basketball; Assistant Coach Hired

Jamie Dixon, coaching in his first game as TCU's head basketball coach,

on November 11, 2016.                       --  Photo by Tom C. "Midnite" Burke

UCLA has hired Cincinnati basketball coach Mick Cronin as its new basketball coach, ending a months-long search to find a replacement for the fired Steve Alford.

That search included the courting of TCU basketball coach Jamie Dixon, who was silent during the courtship but recently reaffirmed his commitment to TCU basketball.

Dixon issued a statement that said, "It has been my long-standing policy to never comment on coaching positions at other universities. This end-of-season speculation, however, was particularly intense and personal for my family because it suggested an imminent return to Los Angeles the childhood home of both my wife and I. 

"Since our team flight back from New York City, rather than attend the Final Four in Minneapolis during this dead period, I have been in Fort Worth meeting with our players, calling recruits and explaining to three generations of relatives and friends on both sides of the family the commitment I made to rebuild the TCU basketball program.

"After much discussion, I am proud to affirm my family's commitment remains the same. I am very grateful for the leadership of Texas Christian University, especially Chancellor (Victor) Boschini and our Athletic Director, Jeremiah Donati, as we all are committed to winning championships."

The Bruins were interested in Dixon, but reportedly couldn't reach a deal because of a reported $8-million buyout in his contract with TCU. That reason, and the amount of the contract buyout, were never confirmed.

Also recently, Dixon hired Duane Broussard as an assistant coach. Broussard spent six season as a coach at UCLA under Steve Alford.

Broussard has a reputation as a top-notch recruiter. He helped UCLA secure four incoming classes that were ranked in the top five, nationally, over the past five years.

Late in the season (in mid-March), TCU fired Corey Barker, the men's basketball assistant coach who is linked to the FBI college basketball corruption case. 

Near the end of the season, while the team was in the midst of its run to the NIT Final Four, TCU assistant basketball coach and former UTA head basketball coach Scott Cross was hired as the head basketball coach at Troy University, which is located in Troy, Alabama. Cross stayed with the TCU team through its NIT semifinal loss to Texas in Madison Square Garden.