Report: Iowa State assistant Otzelberger emerges as potential Hoiberg replacement

The likelihood of Iowa State head men's basketball coach Fred Hoiberg accepting the now vacant head coaching position with the NBA's Chicago Bulls seems like a foregone conclusion.

As such, Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard has reportedly already entered into discussions with a search firm to identify potential coaching candidates.

The search firm didn't need to look far, it seems, as current Iowa State assistant coach T.J. Otzelberger has emerged as the leading candidate to take over Hoiberg's position should he leave, according to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports.

Rothstein notes other members of the Iowa State brass would need to sign off on the move, but said Otzelberger has the "full support" of Pollard.

Otzelberger spent seven seasons as an assistant coach at Iowa State before spending the last two seasons at Washington. He rejoined Hoiberg's staff as an assistant in April.