It is the rumor that won't die; the speculation that just won't fade away; the conjectured storyline that hovers.

Could former Arizona State men's basketball coach Rob Evans really end up as Riley Wallace's replacement at the University of Hawai'i?

For four months now it is something that has shadowed talk about who UH's next coach might be. It is part of the $300,000 — or more — succession question.

The speculation began in March, fueled by the confluence of Evans being let go by the Sun Devils as word got around here of a clause in Wallace's contract mandating the upcoming season to be his 20th and last.

Wallace's contract states: "both the coach and the university understand and agree that the term of this agreement will not be extended or renewed" and "... the university will not negotiate a new contract with coach."

The Evans-to-UH conjecture has been heightened by the fact ASU is paying him $600,000 this year, the final year of its obligation, and he has yet to take a new job.

The potential common denominator would be Herman Frazier, UH athletic director and a friend of Evans at ASU, where they crossed paths in the 1990s. Frazier has hired four people with ASU ties in his four years at UH.

Frazier said through spokesperson Lois Manin, "this rumor is way off target." Manin said, "We are getting ready for our football season and he has not discussed basketball with anyone, nor will he for the next few months."

Evans, who was 119-120 in eight seasons with one NCAA appearance at ASU, did not return messages passed on to him by the school. An official said he is "trying to look into doing television work."

What is likely is that whoever the soon-to-be 65-year old Wallace's successor is, it will be the first major coaching hire of Frazier's tenure at UH and the kind of statement-making pick he has looked forward to since arriving in 2002.

In six combined years at Alabama-Birmingham and UH, Frazier's biggest hire was Mike Anderson as UAB's basketball coach. Anderson was 89-41 with three NCAA appearances in four years at UAB before going to Missouri, and Frazier has trumpeted that choice as an example of what he'd like to do here.

Anderson, however, was a 42-year old assistant plucked from then-Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson's staff. While Evans, who has also been a head coach at Mississippi and is 205-201 in 14 seasons overall, is just five years younger than Wallace (316-251).

The question isn't whether it is Evans or not, but how high does Frazier aim?

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.