Basketball

SOURCE: Jeff Hornacek declines meeting with Iowa State

Go ahead and scratch Phoenix Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek off the list of potential candidates to replace Fred Hoiberg at Iowa State.

According to a close source to the situation, Iowa State recently reached out to Hornacek and offered a meeting with athletics director Jamie Pollard and school president Steven Leath.

Hornacek’s camp declined, according to the source, and has no interest in the job. 

This matches up with what a separate source told CycloneFanatic.com last week, that Hornacek is not interested in the college game, specifically when it comes to the recruiting side of the job. 

Hornacek, whose jersey is retired at Iowa State, has led the Suns to a combined 87-77 record over the last two seasons. He has one year left on his contract with the Suns and has been rumored to have had interest in the Iowa State job over the last couple of weeks. 

UPDATE: 2:16 P.M.

— As you can see below in the comments section of the article, Hornacek’s agent, Steve Kauffman, refuted our report. 

"We represent Jeff Hornacek. Rarely do I post but I will simply say this story is inaccurate. Jeff loves his alma mater and the facts are simply wrong here," Kauffman wrote. "School knew they (Iowa State) had to request permission in a certain manner from the Phoenix Suns. I do not wish to allocate the blame
as to the parties at fault here. But it’s a shame."

In two follow up phone calls, the well-placed source stood by our earlier report, that Hornacek declined an interview with Iowa State. 

I have attempted to call Mr. Kauffman to get that side of the story and have not yet heard back. 

@cyclonefanatic