The Charlotte Bobcats have narrowed their list of head coaching candidates to Jerry Sloan, Brian Shaw and Quin Snyder, according to league sources.
After going through an initial interview with Charlotte executives Rod Higgins and Rich Cho, each of the three candidates will meet with Bobcats owner Michael Jordan within the next week or so.
Shaw will interview with Jordan Thursday, sources said.
Sloan, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009, is the only candidate with prior head coaching experience. The 70-year-old Sloan, who resigned abruptly during his 23rd season with the Utah Jazz last year, is eager to return to the sidelines and regards the Bobcats' job as a great opportunity to teach young players, according to sources.
Sloan led the Jazz to two NBA Finals appearances but lost both times to Jordan's Chicago Bulls.
Shaw, an assistant with the Indiana Pacers, is perhaps the most highly coveted assistant coach in the league. He is also a top candidate for the Orlando Magic coaching job. Snyder is an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Sloan, Shaw and Snyder were chosen from a field of interviewees that included Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing, former Portland coach Nate McMillan, Golden State assistant Michael Malone, Cleveland assistant Nate Tibbetts, Charlotte assistant Stephen Silas, Memphis assistant Dave Joerger and St. John's University assistant Mike Dunlap.
