Kevin Ollie says he's excited for future at UConn, plans to stay

STORRS, Conn. -- UConn basketball coach Kevin Ollie says he has no plans to leave his job.

The 42-year-old Ollie, who spent 13 years as an NBA journeyman before returning to his alma mater, has been linked to several NBA job openings since leading the Huskies to the 2014 NCAA championship.

This week, several outlets reported that Ollie was a leading candidate to replace Scott Brooks in Oklahoma City, even though Brooks was still the coach at that point. Ollie released his statement hours before the Thunder fired Brooks on Wednesday.

Ollie issued a statement Wednesday morning saying he is proud to be UConn's coach and is excited about next season.

"As I have said many times, I am proud and honored to be the head basketball coach at the University of Connecticut and I have no plans to pursue other opportunities," Ollie said in the statement. "We are already excited about next season and I am looking forward to preparing our team to be the best we can be on the court, in the classroom, and in our community."

Ollie signed a $15 million, five-year contract with UConn in May 2014.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.