DePaul assistant coach Jim Molinari was in DeKalb Friday to interview for the NIU men’s basketball head coaching position.

Molinari is one of three candidates known to have been on campus for an interview. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee head coach Steve Antrim interviewed Thursday and Illinois and former NIU assistant Mark Coomes visited Saturday.

The 34-year-old Molinari has served as a DePaul assistant under legendary coach Ray Meyer and his son Joey for the last 11 years.

Molinari looked into the NIU job in 1986, when Jim Rosborough was hired, but he didn’t feel the time was right for him.

“I had an interest in the job then,” Molinari said. “But, initially, you can always tell if there’s an interest in you. And, at that point in time, I didn’t really feel it went both ways. Now this time, I had an initial excitement about the job and I felt there was some excitement about me being involved with the job. So, that’s kind of the best situation.

“My standpoint is, obviously I want them to get a feel for me and what I’m about, my philosophy, and what’s important to me, what I would do in running a program. But, I think it’s also important that I get a feel for them, too. It’s kind of a two-way street, a two-way evaluation. And I’ve been impressed with the people.

“I think Northern’s a quality place. It’s a great location. So, all you have to do is make sure you have the right people to take advantage of the situation. It’s a good school. You can offer a variety of majors … a good business program, education, engineering, you have a law school, and a masters program.”

A 1973 graduate of Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn, Molinari went on to play collegiate basketball at Kansas State for two years and Illinois Wesleyan for two years.

“From there I went to law school at DePaul,” Molinari said, “and that’s when I got involved in coaching. I’ve been at DePaul ever since. Six years for Coach Ray and five years now for Joey.”

Molinari said the younger Meyer is behind him competely in his decision to seek the NIU job.

“I think you always want to hire people that are loyal,” Molinari said, “but you also want to hire people who have dreams and aspirations of being head coaches, and that’s what I think Joey has recognized in me for a long time. We have a very good relationship, and we talk openly. So, I think he feels that it’s time for me to run my own program, if it’s the right program. So, he’s been great, he’s been supportive, yet he’s been also someone that I can discuss ideas with.”

As far as a coaching philosophy, Molinari said he would like to instill the same style of play he helps teach at DePaul.

“I think just like we’ve done at DePaul … the transition style, press. Yet at the same time, if you don’t have it, set up and play good half-court offense also. Then, I think obviously, a key is your man-to-man defense. That’s the key to your success. I think those are the things we would really stress, and that’s the style I would definitely prefer to play. Now, I have a feel for the talent (already here at NIU), but not a great, great feel. So, you have to evaluate and have an opportunity to recruit to that style.”

Molinari said he saw NIU play at Eastern Illinois January 9 when he was scouting EIU for DePaul, but that most of his knowledge of NIU’s current players comes from their high school performances.

Would he like to come right in and immediately use NIU’s two available scholarships to get his type of players?

“If I felt there was a real special situation and someone I thought could really help us, then I would be open to using them (the scholarships),” Molinari said. “But, on the other hand, if that’s not the case, then I would rather have a chance to have a full year of recruiting.”