Flip Saunders' legacy mostly will be about his impact as Minnesota Timberwolves coach.
But his dream job was to coach at his alma mater, the University of Minnesota. And although he was offered the position a few times, it never happened.
As Saunders was remembered Sunday after his death from a battle with cancer, his passion for Gophers basketball was evident.
"He was offered the job three times," former Gophers basketball coach Jim Dutcher said. "And he thought one time he was absolutely going to take it. And then he didn't."
The Gophers' all-time leading scorer, Mychal Thompson, always thought Saunders was going to coach the Gophers one day after their playing days together in college for three seasons from 1974-77.