Ousted Hawaii Coach Gib Arnold Says He’s Joining Sprinkle Staff

The University of Washington basketball program under Danny Sprinkle is becoming known as a place that offers career second chances, with Gib Arnold becoming the second coach who ran afoul of the NCAA to join Sprinkle’s staff.

Arnold, 55, was fired as the Hawaii coach in 2014 after he was accused of offering improper benefits to players who were subsequently ruled ineligible. More recently an NBA scout, he posted on social media on Friday that he had accepted a support role for the UW — as director of performance. The school has offered no confirmation yet.

He’ll work in Montlake alongside Tony Bland, the former USC assistant coach who pleaded guilty in 2019 to conspiracy to commit bribery for providing payments from a basketball shoe company to a pair of Trojans players’ families. Before joining the UW,, Bland, 44, coached high school and AAU basketball teams in Southern California.

Arnold coached the Rainbow Warriors for four seasons before losing his job, compiling 19-13, 16-16, 17-15 and 20-11 records, with the latter seasons adjusted to 1-15 and 0-11 once all of the NCAA penalties were meted out and 36 wins were vacated. He lost his job in late October before the 2014-15 season began.

Arnold is the son of Frank Arnold, who coached BYU in 1975-83, took Danny Ainge-led teams to the NCAA tournament, won WAC championships and compiled a 137-94 record. The older Arnold also coached Hawaii for two seasons, but resigned in 1987 after two seasons that didn’t work and suffering through a composite 11-45 record. He died this past June at 89.

Twenty-three years later, Gabe Arnold became the Hawaii coach, same as his dad, before things got complicated.