The story of Bruce Weber's firing -- and what's on tap

"Really, the thing that trumps all is we're going to do things the right way (in terms of the NCAA rules)," Thomas said.

He cited styles of play ("Some resonate more with your fans than others") and equal opportunities ("A diversified pool" of candidates) as factors in the hire.

"We're about winning championships," Thomas said. "I think that's an appropriate expectation to have."

Klee