GARNER TALKS JOB WITH THE BULLS; SE COACH CONSIDERS RARE OPPORTUNITY

In a twist stranger than Dennis Rodman's wardrobe, Southeast Missouri State University basketball coach Gary Garner has had conversations with the Chicago Bulls about possibly becoming an assistant coach with the six-time NBA world champions.

A Southeast source said Garner has definitely been offered a job to join the Bulls' coaching staff next season.

Garner, reached at his home Monday night, would not confirm that he had been offered the position as assistant coach.

But Garner did confirm that he has spoken with Tim Floyd -- recently named the Bulls' director of basketball operations and almost certain to become Chicago's head coach next season -- and other Bulls' officials.

"I have had several conversations with Tim Floyd and the Bulls," said Garner. "I'm considering a lot of things."

Sources said that Garner met in Chicago with Floyd and other Bulls' officials last Wednesday and then informed Southeast administrators of the meeting the following day.

Garner is expected to decide on whether to join the Bulls' organization in the next several days, although a source told the Southeast Missourian that he was leaning toward remaining at Southeast.

While not wishing to comment directly on the kind of talks he's had with the Bulls, Garner did say that, "It's very flattering to even be approached by the Bulls. It's probably the most prestigious basketball organization in the world."

Asked if, during the course of his coaching career, he had ever given any thought to some day working for an NBA organization, Garner said, "I won't say I've never thought about it...you wonder what it might be like. But until this, I never seriously thought about it."

Garner wanted to make it clear that he had not applied for any position with the Bulls, but that the Bulls had approached him.

Garner and Floyd -- who formerly coached at Iowa State and also coached at several smaller colleges before landing with the Bulls earlier this summer -- have known each other for some time and are good friends, although sources said they are not exceptionally close.

Sources also said that Floyd actually spoke with Garner about ultimately joining the Bulls about a year ago, when Garner was named the new head coach at Southeast and Floyd was already rumored to be the Bulls' next coach when and if Phil Jackson stepped down.

The Bulls currently have one open assistant coaching position after Jimmy Rodgers quit following the 1997-98 season. If Floyd is the Bulls' next head coach -- and that's a virtual certainty -- he has made it clear that he hopes to retain the other three assistants under Jackson: Frank Hamblin, Tex Winter and Bill Cartwright.

Appalachian State coach Buzz Peterson, Michael Jordan's roommate at North Carolina, was previously offered the vacant Bulls' assistant coaching spot but turned it down.

Garner, 54, was hired in June of 1997 to take over the Southeast basketball program after longtime coach Ron Shumate was fired amid an NCAA investigation that ultimately led to a three-year probation handed the Indians.

Garner led the Indians to a 14-13 record in his first season at Southeast and, with many of the key players off that squad returning plus the addition of several talented newcomers, hopes are extremely high for the 1998-99 season.

Counting previous head coaching stops at Missouri Southern, Drake and Fort Hays State, Garner has an overall record of 262-176.