LOS ANGELES -- USC will introduce former Utah coach Rick Majerus as its next basketball coach today, according to sources.

Majerus, 56, won't start coaching the Trojans until next year, allowing interim coach Jim Saia to finish the season. Majerus is an analyst with ESPN but will have to abandon the job now that he's been hired at USC. One source said the buyout could be worth six figures.

Majerus agreed to a five-year deal, sources said. Terms were not disclosed.

"He's really a strong candidate, and we'll see," USC associate athletic director Daryl Gross said.

Former UNLV coach Bill Bayno will be an assistant coach, sources said. Bayno currently works for the Portland Trail Blazers.

What is unclear is whether Majerus will be able to recruit this season while he waits to take over the program. If he is not on staff, NCAA rules will not allow him to recruit. Majerus did not return several messages.

Majerus coached 15 seasons at Utah but quit in January because of heart problems. He made 10 trips to the NCAA Tournament and one trip to the Final Four. Utah lost to Kentucky in the 1998 championship game.

Four of Majerus' teams advanced to the Sweet 16. In his 19-year career, which also included stops at Marquette and Ball State, Majerus averaged 21 victories per season. His career record is 419-145.

After leaving Utah, Majerus moved to a hotel in Santa Barbara, but he currently lives in a Milwaukee hotel to be near his mother.

Majerus has long preferred Southern California, and he tried to buy a house last summer in Santa Monica but lost to a bid by actress Shannon Doherty.

"He is one of America's best coaches, from top to bottom," said New Mexico coach Ritchie McKay, who coached against Majerus in the Mountain West Conference. "When you hire Rick Majerus, it means every aspect of your (basketball) program's success is ensured, from the character of the kids (he recruits) to winning basketball games.

"He is one of the most prepared coaches that I have ever faced. He takes (your team) out of everything you want to do. And his teams never beat themselves."

Some of Utah's finest players came from Southern California, including the two best players during his tenure: Andre Miller (Verbum Dei of Los Angeles) and Keith Van Horn (Diamond Bar). Current players recruited by Majerus include Justin Hawkins (Mayfair of Lakewood), Richard Chaney (Verbum Dei) and Tim Drisdom (Calvary Chapel of Downey).

"Working for him was a pleasure - he was great to me and my family," said his longtime assistant Donny Daniels, an assistant coach at UCLA. "I'm extremely happy for him. He is truly committed to his profession and has true passion for coaching and the game. There is no one better (in coaching) in understanding and defining roles for players on his team."

Majerus interviewed for the UCLA job two years ago but was passed over for Ben Howland. He is considered in basketball circles to be perhaps the best teacher in college basketball.

He also has an unorthodox style. Majerus lived in a hotel while coaching at Utah, rarely spent time in the office, and was cited when the NCAA publicly reprimanded and censured Utah's program, placing it on three years' probation for "lack of institutional control."

Among the charges were that Majerus paid for players' meals, his staff failed to foster an environment of compliance, he watched pick-up games, and he led practices that exceeded NCAA time regulations.

The Utes also had a large number of players quit the program during his tenure.

"He has one of the most brilliant minds I've ever been around on a basketball floor," said Washington coach Lorenzo Romar, who was an assistant on the 1999 USA basketball team Majerus coached in Australia. "He knows exactly what he wants and knows the right buttons to push to get it.

"He breaks the game down into its simplest form and leaves no stone unturned. He is very meticulous. He is a basketball-aholic."

A possible reason for the quick coaching search is that Gross, who assists in coaching searches, is expected to be hired Friday as Syracuse's athletic director.

Majerus is the big-name candidate necessary to create a splash as USC prepares to open its $70 million, 10,000-seat arena in early 2006. A marquee coach is expected to help fill seats and take the program to a higher level than under previous coach Henry Bibby, who was fired last week.

Majerus was the only serious candidate, although several coaches expressed interest in the position, including former Iowa State and Chicago Bulls coach Tim Floyd. Although he did not contact USC, Texas Tech coach Bob Knight told sources he would be willing to listen if the Trojans were interested.

Pepperdine coach Paul Westphal, who played at USC, also was considered.

USC focused on Majerus from the outset, contacting him before firing Bibby. It's not clear whether Majerus will keep Saia or USC's other assistants, Eric Brown and Bob Cantu.