Rutgers Introduces Eddie Jordan as New Basketball Coach

By welcoming home the admired "Fast Eddie", Rutgers University took a step in the next direction of the Rutgers basketball program on Tuesday by introducing new head basketball coach Eddie Jordan.

Jordan, 58, takes the job of former head coach Mike Rice, who was fired in April after a video of unorthodox and abusive coaching methods was made public.

The Rutgers athletics department continues to pick up the pieces following the fallout of the scandal, which also caused the resignation of athletic director Tim Pernetti and assistant basketball coach Jimmy Martelli.

Jordan is a graduate of the Rutgers University class of 1977, where he was an acclaimed basketball player. According to a press release from Rutgers, Jordan holds the record of being the all-time leader in both assists and steals, scoring 1,632 career points while playing for Rutgers.

After earning a degree in health and physical education, he returned to the university as an assistant coach under Tom Young (1984-85) and Bob Wenzel (1988-92). During nine seasons of Jordan's coaching, the university earned eight postseason berths, including four NCAA Championship bids, according to Rutgers.

His NBA career includes stints playing with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the NJ Nets, the LA Lakers and the Portland Trailblazers, and 19 seasons of coaching, most recently as an assistant with the LA Lakers, according to Rutgers.

The Rutgers University Board of Governors approved Jordan's contract at their 2:30 p.m. meeting on Tuesday.

“This is going to be a challenge, but a wonderful challenge,” Jordan said, in a prepared statement. “There is a lot of work to be done. I would like to thank the Rutgers University Board of Governors, the Board of Trustees, President Robert Barchi and Interim Director of Athletics Carl Kirschner for their confidence. The support in and around the Rutgers community has been tremendous.  It will definitely help to form the foundation of our program moving forward.”

Jordan has agreed to a five year contract with guaranteed compensation of $6,250,000, according to Rutgers.