8 , ▁he ▁moved ▁to ▁a ▁four - year ▁college ▁at ▁Long ▁Beach ▁State ▁College . ▁T ark an ian ▁established ▁a ▁successful ▁program ▁built ▁on ▁former ▁junior ▁college ▁players , ▁who ▁were ▁typically ▁considered ▁second - rate ▁by ▁other ▁four - year ▁programs . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁rare ▁coach ▁who ▁d ared ▁to ▁start ▁a ▁pre domin antly ▁black ▁line up . ▁He ▁compiled ▁a ▁ 1 2 2 – 2 0 ▁record ▁over ▁five ▁years ▁at ▁Long ▁Beach ▁before ▁moving ▁to ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Nev ada , ▁Las ▁Veg as ▁( UN L V ). ▁He ▁transformed ▁the ▁small ▁program ▁into ▁a ▁national ▁power house ▁while ▁grant ing ▁his ▁players ▁the ▁freedom ▁to ▁express ▁themselves . ▁ ▁Kn own ▁for ▁his ▁color ful ▁behavior ▁and ▁affection ately ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁" T ark ▁the ▁Sh ark ", ▁T ark an ian ▁became ▁a ▁celebr ity ▁in ▁Las ▁Veg as . ▁He ▁left ▁the ▁R unn in ' ▁Reb els ▁for ▁a ▁brief ▁st int ▁co aching ▁profession ally ▁with ▁the ▁San ▁Antonio ▁Sp urs ▁in ▁the ▁National ▁Basketball ▁Association ▁( N BA ) ▁before ▁finishing ▁his ▁career ▁at ▁his ▁al ma ▁mater , ▁F res no ▁State . ▁ ▁Through out ▁his ▁career , ▁he ▁batt led ▁accus ations ▁of ▁rules ▁viol ations ▁from ▁the ▁National ▁Colleg iate ▁Athlet ic ▁Association ▁( N CAA ), ▁with ▁each ▁of ▁his ▁three ▁univers ities ▁suffering ▁pen alt ies . ▁T ark an ian ▁respond ed ▁by ▁challeng ing ▁the ▁organization ▁to ▁also