Luke Walton, a member of the 2009 and 2010 NBA World Champion Los Angeles Lakers, has been recommended to join the Memphis men’s basketball coaching staff, head coach Josh Pastner announced Monday. Walton’s hiring is pending approval of the University and Tennessee State Board of Regents.

Walton was also a member of two other Lakers squads that advanced to the NBA Finals (2004, 2008). Of his eight seasons in the NBA, Walton’s teams have made seven playoff appearances.

“Luke is going to bring great excitement and great energy to the Tigers program, and we’re thrilled to have him,” said Pastner. “Luke is someone who has not only played for but also learned from arguably one of the greatest coaches in basketball history in Phil Jackson. Luke’s also played with and against the best-of-the-best at the highest level of basketball in the NBA, including being a teammate of one of the NBA’s all-time greats in Kobe Bryant.

“Luke will be a great coach because he brings a wealth of knowledge and a winning attitude to the Tigers program. His experiences, which include playing in four NBA Finals and winning two NBA World Championships, are lessons that he can share with our players to help them grow and develop their games.”

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