The Nevada Wolf Pack have agreed to hire LSU assistant Eric Musselman as the school's new coach, he told ESPN.com in a text message Wednesday.

The five-year deal needs to be approved by the state Board of Regents on Thursday, athletic director Doug Knuth said in a statement. A news conference has been scheduled for Thursday afternoon after the meeting.

The 50-year-old Musselman, who replaces David Carter, was previously an NBA head coach with the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings and also was an assistant at Arizona State.

Eric Musselman, who has coached the Warriors and Kings in the NBA, will take over as Nevada's coach. AP Photo/Fernando Llano

"The University of Nevada has made an incredible hire," Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said in a statement released by the school. "He is a great leader, communicator and teacher."

Musselman's career record as a head coach in the NBA is 566-340.

The Kings fired Musselman in April 2007 after a 33-49 season. Musselman was arrested on a drunken-driving charge after Sacramento's first preseason game in October 2006. He immediately issued a public apology, later pleaded no contest to the charge and served a two-game suspension.

Musselman also led the Warriors to two surprisingly successful seasons from 2002-04 as one of the game's most impressive young coaching minds. Golden State fired him after the franchise missed the playoffs for the 10th straight year in his second season at the helm.

After being dismissed by the Warriors, Musselman spent two seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies as an assistant under Mike Fratello.

His first NBA coaching experience came with the Timberwolves under his late father, Bill, in 1990-91. Musselman also worked as an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks under Lon Kruger and as an assistant for the Orlando Magic under Chuck Daly and Doc Rivers.

Carter, who was fired in March after five seasons at the helm of the Wolf Pack, took over after Mark Fox left for Georgia in 2009. Carter led Nevada to two NIT appearances and was 83-80 during his time in Reno.

Nevada went 9-22 this past season, including a 5-13 mark in the Mountain West.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.