Jeff Lund

It is no secret that Josh Pastner wants to be the head coach at Arizona. Even before the day he set foot on campus as an undergrad, Pastner's eye was on the big seat on the UA bench.

It was a question of timing, and now, maybe because of fate, Pastner will get a firmer seat on the Wildcat sideline, a few inches closer to his ultimate goal.

Had it not been for former assistant coach Jay John's departure, Arizona might have lost Pastner.

Pastner, who had already spent the one year allowed at the undergraduate assistant position, had a spot pretty much tailored to him last season so that he could remain on the staff.

But administrative assistant and video coordinator is not exactly using Pastner's abilities to the fullest.

Fortunately for Pastner, and the program, Pastner did not have to wait too long for a position to open that would allow him to get his deserved pay and not seek employment elsewhere.

Not to say that John's departure is good, or that the Wildcats will not be affected, but being able to keep Pastner and move him up the ranks is something that will be good for the future of Arizona basketball.

Associate coach Jim Rosborough said he noticed something special in Pastner even before he came to Tucson.

"He used to call me every Sunday," Rosborough said. "But we didn't know what kind of kid we were getting until he got here."

Pastner is not just a kid anymore, and he will now get a chance to show more than just the players and coaching staff what kind of contributor he can be to the team.

Don't worry about Pastner being thrown to the wolves and not being able to hold his own - Pastner was an unofficial coach for four years.

At a program like Arizona, that is more than enough of a reason to put some confidence in him.

Following his four-year career in which he saw action in just 42 games, Pastner was already studying under one of the most successful coaching staffs in Division I basketball.

"He came in here and wanted to be a coach," Rosborough said. "He did a good job playing for us, but his goal was to coach and he did a very good job of working toward that."

He was not just the player at the end of the bench that everyone cheered for when he checked in - behind the scenes he pulled his own weight, and then some.

When even the coaches had gone home, or weren't at work yet, Pastner offered his services to his teammates. While many student-athletes try to work toward a degree in five years, Pastner got his in two and a half.

Both are equally impressive and say something about his dedication.

Pastner took as many as 33 units a semester in order to accomplish his academic goals and pursue his lofty goals of being a head coach.

"Up and down the lineup, every year Josh worked with everyone when he was an undergrad," Rosborough said. "He would offer to rebound for the guys."

Pastner's rapid rise through the ranks is as impressive as his accomplishments themselves.

It is no secret what coaching staffs want in co-workers and what programs want in coaches: dedication, loyalty, energy and passion, to name a few.

Pastner employs all of these at the age of 24.

This even shows on his answering machine message, which I have listened to numerous times over the past couple days before I finally got a hold of him.

It says, "Think only of the best, work only for the best and accept only the best."

That pretty much sums it up. After working for the best for six years, the best hired Pastner.