In the end, the Philadelphia 76ers are not going very far to find their new coach.

According to ESPN's David Aldridge, the Sixers have decided to promote assistant coach Randy Ayers to the top spot, left vacant since Larry Brown stepped down on May 26 and later took the coaching job in Detroit.

The Sixers have called a news conference for 2 p.m. ET on Friday.

Two team sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the 76ers had picked Ayers as their new coach and would introduce him at the news conference, The Associated Press reported.

Ayers, former head coach at Ohio State, has been with the Philadelphia organization since 1997. He was promoted to assistant coach on July 22, 1998.

Ayers compiled a 124-108 record in eight years at Ohio State, where he led the Buckeyes to four postseason appearances and earned national coach of the year honors in 1991. He twice was named Big Ten coach of the year.

Ayers wasn't Philadelphia's first choice, but president Billy King couldn't get permission to speak to Portland coach Maurice Cheeks, a former Sixers star. Also, former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy and Kentucky coach Tubby Smith said they weren't interested in the job after speaking to King. Van Gundy took over in Houston, replacing Rudy Tomjanovich.

King also interviewed Eddie Jordan, who was hired by Washington on Thursday, former Atlanta coach Mike Fratello, Sixers assistant Mike Woodson and Miami Heat assistant Bob McAdoo.

Ayers played four seasons at Miami of Ohio, and was selected in the third round of the 1978 NBA draft by Chicago. He was cut before the season started, played one year of professional ball in Reno, Nev., and then began his coaching career.

Before going to Ohio State, Ayers coached two years at Army and was a graduate assistant at his alma mater.

The Sixers went 48-34 last season and won a first-round playoff series over New Orleans before losing to Detroit in six games. Brown took Philadelphia to the NBA Finals in 2001, but injuries and questionable personnel moves have hindered the team since.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.