John Beilein's flirtation with the NBA was supposed to be over last year when the Detroit Pistons interviewed him for their job. Instead, Beilein has agreed to a five-year contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Beilein went 278-150 over a 12-year span, appearing in two National Championship games and capturing a pair of Big Ten titles and two Big Ten Tournament titles. He flirted heavily with the Detroit Pistons last year, after which he said he felt he'd finish his career at Michigan.

"I never really had to make the decision," Beilein said. "That would have been a tough one ...

"I was not offered the job by the Pistons. We certainly had some mutual interest. I think they had a great candidate in Dwane Casey."

Sources since have said he would have accepted the job.

Beilein has long been enamored with a challenge, and he'll face a big one in Cleveland working for owner and Michigan State alum Dan Gilbert. He said last year he remained intrigued with the NBA.

"I love coaching basketball a lot, and you're watching the NBA playoffs, and you're seeing what guys are doing, and you're looking, like, they're running stuff that we run," Beilein said. "I don't know if they watched us or I watched them. You can see, boy, if you have really highly skilled players ... [Boston Celtics coach] Brad Stevens kept telling me, 'I'm having a blast.' When you hear those words, and your season's over — that was appealing."

Beilein will now get his opportunity to see what he can do at the highest level, as well.

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