Ex-NBA player Jerome Williams in line for Findlay Prep job

Jerome Williams has turned down multiple job offers from the NBA since he retired as a player in 2005. But the idea of leading a prep school basketball powerhouse has piqued the interest of the former first-round pick.

Williams, an assistant at Findlay Prep the past five seasons, is the leading candidate to replace Pilots coach Todd Simon, who on Monday accepted an offer to become an assistant on Dave Rice’s staff at UNLV.

“I know I’m probably on their wish list, but they haven’t made any official offers,” said Williams, 40. “It would be an interesting scenario. We’ll see what Findlay Prep as an organization decides to do.”

Williams was selected No. 26 overall by Detroit in the 1996 draft and was known as the “Junkyard Dog” during his nine-year career with the Pistons, Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks.

Williams served as a volunteer coach at Findlay Prep for two seasons under Michael Peck and spent the past three seasons as the Pilots’ director of player development. In that time, Findlay Prep won three National High School Invitational titles and produced four first-round draft picks.

“I’ve been tremendously blessed those two guys (Peck and Simon) let me come in and help a program without all the egos and other stuff that goes on,” Williams said.

Simon, who also served as Findlay Prep’s athletic director, wrote in a text message that he hopes a member of his staff takes over to maintain the continuity of the program and is pushing for Williams or fourth-year assistant Andy Johnson.

Simon said the final decision lies with Cliff Findlay, the program’s benefactor, in conjunction with Henderson International School, where the players attend classes.

Neither Findlay nor Johnson returned voice-mail messages seeking comment.

Williams has been an ever-present figure on the recruiting trail this spring and summer. He is largely responsible for restocking next year’s roster with several of the nation’s top players, including rising senior Craig Victor and Derryck Thornton, a gifted point guard from the class of 2016 who has been offered a scholarship by UNLV.

“I’ve been offered NBA jobs, coaching jobs, front-office jobs, and I’ve turned them down,” Williams said. “The job itself isn’t really the attraction. It’s more or less the people. I’m attracted to talent, kids I feel that I can take to the next level.”