Bzdelik Taking Wake Forest Job

Updated: April 11, 2010, 3:52 PM ET

Source: Bzdelik to take Wake job

By Andy Katz
ESPN.com

Colorado coach Jeff Bzdelik has called a team meeting for Sunday afternoon, at which he intends to tell the team he is leaving to be the coach at Wake Forest, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation.

Bzdelik would replace Dino Gaudio, who was fired by Wake Forest last week after three seasons as coach. Wake Forest is expected to make an announcement on its new coach early this week.

Bzdelik, who formerly coached the NBA's Denver Nuggets and at Air Force, is a longtime friend of Wake Forest athletic director Ron Wellman. He led the Buffaloes (15-16, 6-10 Big 12) to an eighth-place finish in the Big 12 last season and has overseen steady improvement in the program's in-conference performance.

Bzdelik nearly left Colorado last year to be the Minnesota Timberwolves' top assistant.

If Bzdelik leaves Colorado, the Buffaloes may move quickly to replace him with top assistant Steve McClain, who took over early this past season when Bzdelik had to leave the team for a personal matter and went 2-2. Hiring McLain would also give the team a good chance to keep stars Cory Higgins (18.9 ppg) and Alex Burks (17.1).

McClain coached at Wyoming from 1998 through 2007, leading the Cowboys to a 157-115 record, three NIT appearances and a first-round win over Gonzaga in the 2002 NCAA tournament. McClain also won the 1994 national junior college championship at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College.

Former Oregon assistant Mike Dunlap and Northern Colorado's Tad Boyle may also be considered for the position.

Senior writer Andy Katz covers college basketball for ESPN.com.