Garfield picks RB's Ed Haskins to coach boys basketball

Even four hours after Garfield High School made it official, Ed Haskins still could not believe he had landed a dream job.

The school that defined basketball success in his formative years said Monday that it wanted Haskins to lead the Bulldogs back to their dominant ways. Garfield's long search for a coach finally ended Monday when it hired Haskins, a Rainier Beach assistant.

"It's definitely up there with all the big accomplishments in my life," the 35-year-old Haskins said. "I'm from Tacoma and I grew up watching the great Bulldog teams of the '80s and early '90s, and you never think you'd be in a position to lead that storied program.

"It's a tremendous, tremendous, tremendous honor to be the head coach."

Haskins was one of two finalists principal Ted Howard spoke with Monday before delivering his final choice. Howard said the other finalist was Shoreline Community College coach Butch Estes, a former assistant at the University of Miami (Fla.) and Seattle University.

"It's good to be in that place where you have two good candidates to look at," Howard said.

Haskins, a 1990 graduate of Clover Park, was coaching middle school basketball in 1998 when Rainier Beach coach Mike Bethea asked him to come aboard as an assistant.

"I'm extremely grateful for Mike Bethea for giving me an opportunity to coach," Haskins said.

Aside from one year at Franklin, Haskins spent every year since at Rainier Beach, and he helped the Vikings win three state championships in that span.

"He'll demand a lot of his players," Bethea said. "He's a real good X's and O's guy."

Haskins has coached two players who went onto the NBA — Jamaal Crawford and Nate Robinson — plus Louisville star Terrence Williams. Bethea said that experience should suit Haskins well in coaching Garfield phenom Tony Wroten, named the top freshman in the country by EA Sports this winter.

Said Haskins: "Make no mistake about this: I'm going to coach Garfield. I'm not just going to coach Tony Wroten. I'm definitely committed to help make Tony a better player, but my job is to coach Garfield basketball. That's what I'm committed to."

Wroten is one of several talented young players returning for Garfield. Former coach Dan Finkley led the Bulldogs to their second consecutive state tournament appearance and a 17-9 record last season, before he resigned.

"We have to go into the season with expectations to win," Haskins said. "Not just to win games, not just to win league, but to win state."

Haskins said he had been a finalist for a few other head-coaching jobs, but he said he was "always the best man, never the groom." And in late April, it appeared to happen again.

Haskins had been a finalist when the original selection committee at Garfield chose former Seattle Prep player Tavio Hobson from a field of 40 applicants. But Howard, after a conversation with Hobson, decided to reopen the position and add two students to the committee. Howard confirmed Hobson interviewed again for the job Friday, but was not one of the two finalists.

"The ultimate goal is to win a state championship, but I think the coach we're bringing on board is a teacher and will get us to that level," Howard said. "Anything less than that at Garfield is a moot point."

Tom Wyrwich: 206-515-5653 or twyrwich@seattletimes.com