Cal coaching search news: Shareef Abdur-Rahim interested, Randy Bennett and Travis DeCuire out of running

Afternoon basketball coaching updates!

Two more coaches have taken themselves out of the California Golden Bears coaching search. A few more names have showcased interest as well.

Cal basketball alumni Shareef Abdur-Rahim has reportedly expressed interest in the job, via Marc Spears of ESPN. Abdur-Rahim hasn’t been on a coaching staff for sometime.

Abdur-Rahim is currently the NBA associate vice president of basketball, and would be an interesting name for the job. He was last an assistant coach for the Kings from 2008 to 2010. He was an assistant general manager for the Kings from 2010 to 2013, then became a GM for the NBD affiliate Reno Bighorns for the 2013-14 season.

Abdur-Rahim came back to Berkeley after being one-and-done with the Bears to get his sociology degree from Cal in 2012. Abdur-Rahim helped guide Jaylen Brown to pick Cal two years ago.

Steve Lavin (who reportedly has walked on campus to chat about the job) also has reiterated interest in the job.

St. Mary’s coach Randy Bennett was reportedly a target of interest, but it sounds like Bennett’s interest in the position wasn’t too strong. Bennett has a good thing going at St. Mary’s and it’d be unclear as to whether he wants to do the same thing.

Montana coach Travis DeCuire is also taking himself out of the search as well. DeCuire confirmed to his team he will be back at Montana next year. DeCuire was considered for the Cal coaching vacancy in the previous search that netted Cuonzo Martin.

Nevada coach Eric Musselman (considered one of the top candidates for the job early on) has already turned down the Cal job.

Of the remaining early candidates, that leaves UC Irvine coach Russell Turner and UC Davis coach Jim Les, who were reportedly interviewed for the job as well.

Finally, the original report indicating that there’s been a lack of access to the program has been disputed.