BIG SHOES TO PHIL TOMJANOVICH SAYS HE WAS CONTACTED ABOUT VACANCY.

Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer

Before the Houston Rockets even had an arena to call home following their move from San Diego for the 1971-72 season, they had Rudy Tomjanovich, a second-year forward on his way to becoming a franchise fixture.

Nearly 33 years have passed and Tomjanovich has remained with the Rockets in some capacity ever since - either as a player, scout, broadcaster, coach or consultant. That era, however, soon could be coming to an end.

One day after Phil Jackson's tenure as Lakers coach ended, Tomjanovich said Saturday he had been contacted about becoming Jackson's successor. It was the first development on Day 1 of the post-Jackson era.

``I have been contacted and am interested in discussing things with the Lakers and hearing what they have to say,'' Tomjanovich said in a statement released by his business manager.

Tomjanovich, who led the Rockets to titles in 1994 and '95, is expected to interview for the job next week. He has a clean bill of health after a bout with bladder cancer forced him to step down as Houston's coach after 12 seasons in May 2003.

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak declined to comment about Tomjanovich's statement, which came on the heels of a tumultuous Friday that saw Jackson leave, Shaquille O'Neal demand a trade and Kobe Bryant opt out of his contract.

Tomjanovich appears to be the Lakers' favorite among a list of potential candidates that includes former Lakers coach Pat Riley, George Karl and Lakers assistants Jim Cleamons and Kurt Rambis, who occupied the two seats to Jackson's right on the bench this season.

Cleamons said Saturday that Kupchak told him he would be given consideration for the job. In the meantime, Cleamons expects to interview for the vacant job at his alma mater, Ohio State. He also said he wouldn't be opposed to returning as a Lakers assistant next season.

``I certainly understand that they're going to look outside of the organization and they should,'' Cleamons said. ``There should be a bevy of names out there. Perennially, it's one of the two or three best jobs in the league.''

USC coach Henry Bibby reportedly also has been contacted by the Lakers.

``I'm very happy with being at USC and I'm flattered my name has come up,'' Bibby said Saturday. ``That's it. (Athletic director) Mike Garrett has been good and gracious to me. I'm under contract at USC.''

Also Saturday, Jackson received feelers from at least two teams about becoming their coach but is expected to sit out next season before considering a possible return.

The Lakers' most logical candidate to replace Jackson might have been Byron Scott, who played 11 seasons with the team and twice coached the New Jersey Nets to the NBA Finals before being fired in January.

But Scott took the New Orleans Hornets job at the end of May.

That left the Lakers with a long list of potential candidates, ranging from one who led the Lakers to four championships in the 1980s (Riley) to one with no coaching experience who played on the Lakers' three most recent title teams (Brian Shaw).

In the past, the Lakers had a habit of promoting assistants who had risen through the team's ranks. But Jackson changed all that when he arrived in 1999 and received a five-year, $30 million contract.

At the forefront now is the 55-year-old Tomjanovich, one of only four coaches to have won an NBA title since 1991 - a list that includes Jackson, Gregg Popovich and Larry Brown - and the only one besides Jackson to have won consecutive championships.

The questions surrounding Tomjanovich will include whether he wants to leave Houston, where he is so closely identified with the Rockets franchise, and whether he is ready to return to coaching after a one-year hiatus.

Tomjanovich was in the starting lineup for the Rockets' first game in Houston in October 1971, though the team played home games at several sites across Texas that season. He was a five-time All-Star as a player and the Rockets' first player to have his number retired.

As a coach, Tomjanovich went 503-397 in 12 seasons with seven playoff appearances and two titles. But the Rockets failed to make the playoffs in his last four seasons, slumping to a 28-54 record in 2001-02, though the reward was being able to draft Yao Ming.

Tomjanovich's final season was cut short in March 2003 when he was diagnosed with treatable bladder cancer and had to take a leave of absence. He resigned two months later, then was pronounced cancer-free in October.

``I just think at this stage, with the health situation, that the best thing is to back off and try to be just a regular guy for a while,'' Tomjanovich said at a news conference last May.

He was replaced by Jeff Van Gundy but remained with the team as a personnel consultant to general manager Carroll Dawson.

Tomjanovich assisted Dawson in scouting players but did not attend games at new Toyota Center.

Tomjanovich brings with him a reputation as being a players' coach, capable of giving Bryant the freedom he wants, and one with the experience of coaching a dominant big man from his days with Hakeem Olajuwon.

Riley would be a throwback to the ``Showtime'' Lakers of the 1980s, but he is as president of the Miami Heat and would have to relinquish his minority ownership stake in the team to return to Los Angeles.

Another intriguing candidate is Sparks coach Michael Cooper, who played on five Lakers championship teams in the 1980s and has coached in the WNBA the past six seasons, winning titles in 2001 and 2002.

Cooper interviewed in May for the New Orleans job that went to Scott and said he would like to get back into the NBA at some point. Cooper said Saturday he has not been contacted by anyone from the Lakers.

``I have no reaction,'' Cooper said from Charlotte, N.C., where his team will play today, ``because I have enough to handle as is dealing with the Sparks.''

Cooper said the jump from the WNBA to NBA would not be as great as some would think. He is one of four former NBA players coaching in the WNBA.

``It doesn't matter what league you're coaching in, whether it's men or women,'' Cooper said. ``If you're successful in one, you can be successful in the other. And having been a successful player, I know I would have the players' respect.''

Staff Writers Howard Beck and Scott Wolf contributed to this report.

Ross Siler, [phone]

ross.siler(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

12 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Rudy Tomjanovich said in a statement that he wants to hear what the Lakers have to say. The former coach of the Houston Rockets is expected to interview for the job next week.

Jed Jacobsohn/Associated Press

(2 -- color) HENRY BIBBY

(3 -- color) JIM CLEAMONS

(4 -- color) MICHAEL COOPER

(5 -- color) GEORGE KARL

(6 -- color) KURT RAMBIS

(7 -- color) PAT RILEY

(8 -- 10) Among the candidates to replace Phil Jackson are (from left) USC coach Henry Bibby, Lakers assistant Kurt Rambis and Sparks coach Michael Cooper.

Edna T. Simpson/Daily News

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer

(11) Jim Cleamons about the Lakers coaching opening

(12) USC coach Henry Bibby about possibly coaching the Lakers

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