TUCSON, Ariz. - Arizona had won one conference title in the 29 seasons before Lute Olson arrived from Iowa in 1983.

It didn’t take long for Olson to build a powerhouse in the desert. The 74-year-old Olson, who announced his retirement on Thursday, went 589-187 in 24 seasons at Arizona and led the Wildcats to the 1997 national championship and four Final Fours, most recently in 2001.

His program turned into an assembly line of NBA talent, producing 13 first-round draft picks, including Sean Elliott, Mike Bibby and Richard Jefferson.

“Lute Olson transformed the UA and Tucson into premier basketball country,” university president Robert N. Shelton said in a statement. “Arizona now stands in the company of great college basketball programs, and we have Lute to thank for that. We will sorely miss his brilliance as our head coach, but we will benefit from the legacy he leaves for decades to come.”

Athletic director Jim Livengood confirmed Olson’s decision hours after news reports had started speculating about the Hall of Famer’s future. Livengood said a successor would be named soon.

“This was not a decision that was made lightly,” Olson said in a statement released by the university on Thursday. “I’ve had a wonderful run at the University of Arizona. I leave with a great sense of pride in what we have accomplished here.”

The tan, silver-haired Olson is a revered figure in Tucson — as iconic as the craggy mountains that ring the city. When reports of his retirement began to spread, hordes of reporters showed up at McKale Center and remained camped there as top athletic officials huddled behind closed doors.

It was a day filled with rumors, speculation and uncertainty. But that had become all too common in the last year of Olson’s tenure.

Olson’s resignation ends a year of personal and professional upheaval for one of the more successful coaches in college basketball history. With 780 victories in 34 seasons as a Division I coach, Olson ranks eighth on the all-time list. The last victory came on March 3, 2007 — 85-80 at Stanford, in overtime.

Shortly before last season tipped off, Olson announced he was taking a personal leave of absence for what he later termed “a medical condition that was not life-threatening.”

When Olson stepped away, it started an unimaginable chain of events. Assistant coach Kevin O’Neill, who took over as interim coach, was soon designated Olson’s permanent successor.

O’Neill led Arizona to a 19-15 record and the school’s 24th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance, the nation’s longest active streak. But when Olson returned to the job last spring, he announced that O’Neill was no longer part of his staff and that he planned to coach for the remainder of his contract, which runs through 2011.

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In December, Olson filed for divorce from wife Christine on the same day he extended his leave through the end of the season. Five months after the contentious divorce was finalized last spring, Olson announced he was engaged to Kelly Pugnea, 47, a Tucson resident for 25 years.

But Olson seemed ready to put the tumultuous year behind him. On Tuesday, he appeared at the team’s media day and said he was fired up about the upcoming season. “I feel much more energized at this point,” he said.

That feeling apparently changed quickly. Olson skipped a scheduled luncheon on Wednesday and missed practice the last two days.