​Jim Calhoun in serious talks to coach upstart Division III basketball program

Former Connecticut men’s basketball Jim Calhoun is considering coming out of retirement and has had serious discussions with the University of St. Joseph in West Hartford about coaching its new basketball team, the Hartford Courant reports.

While Calhoun, without being specific, said he’s been talking to a local school about a coaching gig, sources confirmed to the Courant that the school is St. Joseph, whose men’s hoops team is slated to begin Division III play in 2018.

"I've got a couple of other things in the works, one involving basketball which I'm intrigued by," Calhoun said. "It's coaching."

Calhoun, 75, retired as coach of UConn in 2012. He coached the Huskies for 26 seasons and led the program to three national championships.

Calhoun currently serves as an assistant/adviser at UConn and as a college basketball analyst for ESPN, roles he implied he’d like to keep going forward, at least during the 2017-18 season.

Calhoun said he misses coaching but added, “I'm not sure what I want to yet. I do want to do some basketball stuff if I can, if I can't, fine. I do want to do some games (for TV)... Certainly, I want to stay at UConn and continue what I'm doing with (AD) David Benedict and (president) Susan (Herbst). I'm trying to make a decision for myself, if I want to maybe get a whistle back in my lips just for a little bit and help out someplace in some capacity."

In a prepared statement, St. Joseph’s president Rhona Free said, “We will let coaches (sic) comments stand on their own. While we certainly can't think of a better person to inaugurate the University of St. Joseph's first-ever men's basketball team, right now we have nothing to announce."