Being a basketball coach is something Jason Terry has had on his mind for quite some time, and his desire to return to Arizona and become a college coach isn't something that happened overnight. The former UA guard spent much of his off time during his NBA career coaching a girls youth club basketball team for about a dozen years, so a foray into coaching isn't something that will be foreign to him as he joins Sean Miller's staff in Tucson this season.

Terry was recently announced as the the team's newest assistant, but the process to make that happen was one that played out over several months. It started with a phone call to current associate head coach Jack Murphy last year and the intensity picked up when UA assistant coach Justin Gainey decided to leave the program for a spot on the coaching staff at Marquette this spring.

"I reached out to Coach Murph, who is the associate head coach, and I told him my aspirations of wanting to coach if there was any opportunity to join the staff," Terry said during a virtual press conference with local media Friday. "That was something I would like to explore. He said, 'let's talk to Sean.' Late September he set up a lunch with coach (Miller) and coach welcomed me with open arms.

"It was an easy conversation. We talked about the roster he had that particular year and he definitely explained to me that they did not have a position for me, but he would keep me in mind. Let's continue our talks. He invited me out to a couple games. I was at the Baylor game at Baylor.

"Then as crazy as it sounds, I was literally at the Pac-12 Tournament and Coach Murph had invited me to speak to the team before that second-round game. Right before that game they canceled the game and got everybody out of Vegas, so I never got to speak to the team but I continued to call coach. I continued to text and call Murph, and then the spot opened up and I was the first one in line, I'll tell you that, to get the opportunity."

When speaking with the media earlier this week Miller said he believes Terry is the "perfect" fit for the Wildcats at this point in the program's development because of all the experience has at all levels of basketball. He is as an accomplished college basketball player as you will find and that is one reason why the former college and NBA champion believes he has a lot to offer college players as a member of the staff.

"I think that will be a huge role for me as I get started," he said. "Obviously being a mentor for these guys is very key but in life. Life skills and giving them life lessons and giving them examples of what I went through in my college experience as I prepared to become a professional.

"All that knowledge will be spewed to these guys every single day. ... I think the one thing about these guys is that they're all talented and they all have the ability to play at the next level, but what separates good from great is the mental mindset that you carry every single day. So, that's something that I'll take on headfirst to really, really tap into their approach on the mental side of the game."

Terry has already started his duties as an Arizona assistant coach meeting with the coaches and players virtually. He spent this week looking for a home in Tucson as he prepares to begin his active work on campus once players start to arrive back to campus in the coming weeks and months.