Simon out

University of Arizona men’s basketball assistant coach Miles Simon will not return to the program for the 2008-09 season as his contract was not renewed, director of athletics Jim Livengood announced Friday.

Simon has been with the program for three seasons as an assistant coach and was responsible for working with UA’s perimeter players. In his three seasons on the sideline, Arizona won 20 games twice and advanced to the NCAA Tournament three times.

“Miles will always be a Wildcat,” said Arizona head coach Lute Olson. “He will be remembered as a competitor, as a leader and a winner. We appreciate his efforts as an assistant on our staff, and as we move forward, we wish him the best of luck.”

Simon was named an assistant coach following a six-year professional career that saw him play in the NBA, CBA and in four foreign countries. Since his retirement as a player in December 2004, he returned to Tucson and completed requirements towards a B.S. in Family Studies, which were fulfilled on July 20, 2005.

A four-year letterman for the Wildcats from 1994-98, Simon was a first team All-America selection in 1998 by the Associated Press, the John R. Wooden Award, The Sporting News and the National Association of Basketball Coaches. He also earned all-Pac-10 Conference and NABC all-District 15 honors as a senior. In 114 career appearances (90 starts), Simon averaged 14.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.

During his UA career, Simon helped the Wildcats to a 106-27 (.797) record, the 1997 national championship and one Pac-10 championship (1998). He finished his career ranked seventh on Arizona’s career points scored list with 1,664, while ranking sixth with 455 career assists and fourth with 176 career three-point field goals.