Their is zero "reports" that say that right now. Only speculation. You really think hours before the championship game he'd let slip out "yeah I'd be interested in leaving UCONN."?
Calipari to Arkansas
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Hurley has the best program in the country right now. And with a fan base that doesn't display psychotic tendencies. No chance in hell he moves.
Hurley just can't win at UCONN, his record indicates it's just too difficult for tournament success there.
I think Donovan is most likely...but honestly, Hurley wouldn't shock me. Getting all psychological...he's spent most of his life in Bobby's shadow, likely trying to impress his larger than life father. Winning Natty's at UConn I'm sure has elevated him in the whole family structure...but going to coach at a place like Kentucky would really cement it. He'll have a Hurley statue at UConn someday if he stays, but if he went to Kentucky, and had a Nick Saban esque run for the next 10 years there...well, that's Saban/Coach K level stuff. He seems to be wired for this type of decision.
Maybe. I don't think he'll risk leaving the repeatable and stable machine / system he has built at UConn to jump into the UK insane asylum. Regardless, it's a fun coaching search to watch.
That's why you don't fill roster with meh portal guys. UK will have elites in portal--Fland???
Tyler Chicken? Maybe to get the NIL money, the agreement is the arena is going to stock the alcoholic chicken drink.
It'll be interesting to see it unfold...so many different routes they could take. I'm sure they'll have good options though. Do they have any former players that are current college coaches? Pope? I'm sure on some levels, their fanbase and decision makers are pushing to get back to "good ole Kentucky basketball", whatever that means.
But with guys like Oats, Donovan, Hurley maybe...guys of that caliber willing and available, assuming they do have those type of options...I'll just assume they won't settle and go with someone like Woody.
Seems like they’re tired of Cal’s pure one and done model. Probably mostly because it stopped working. But it also gets old not being able to form connections with 3-4 year players.
If they whiff on Hurley, Oats, and Billy, which is possible, the panic would be enjoyable to see unfold.
I doubt they hire an NBA assistant that played at UK 40 years ago as you said.
While they are slimey, I have to admit I respect how much they care and try with basketball. I’m glad we are playing them again.
If the landscape of college sports with the NIL and xfer portal led Saban to retire why would Wright, Stevens and Donovan return to NCAA? I hope Billy D. does go to UK because it gives hope that Stevens might come back next year if he wants to coach again when his contract is up with Celts. I expect he'd be more of a Pop replacement in SA with Wemby than returning to College.
UNC and Duke went with alums Davis and Scheyer and they are doing well. If Pope is a serious candidate, i'd expect UK to go that route and give him a shot before going for the big name. I could see Billy d. since he was there with Pitino at UK but just not sure he'd leave the NBA.
UNC and Duke went with alums Davis and Scheyer and they are doing well. If Pope is a serious candidate, i'd expect UK to go that route and give him a shot before going for the big name. I could see Billy d. since he was there with Pitino at UK but just not sure he'd leave the NBA.
UK would be a perfect fit for Crean!
Maybe their highly rated recruits can learn Archies Packline D!?
Maybe their highly rated recruits can learn Archies Packline D!?
No clue on what Donovan will want to do...he's been pretty firmly entrenched as a well regarded NBA coach since he made that move, but that is eroding a bit now in Chicago. So maybe he's feeling that, and ready to beat it out of town?
The NIL/Transfer dynamics are a different variable than what he was used to at Florida, for sure. But one could make the argument its made it a little more "NBA like" in some ways. So maybe Donovan would look more forward to the different type of recruiting nowadays versus the deeper relationship building style that was more necessary when he last coached college?
Its impossible to predict where college basketball is going to go in the next few years. I think there are some good guesses...
1. NIL creates more money making opportunities for more programs, and players. Which creates more parity at the top 50 ish schools, but creates a gap again between the big boys and little boys.
2. Transfer portal gets regulated a bit back.
3. NCAA tournament expands, and there's some sort of school/player revenue sharing agreement.
4. All the early season tournaments become "NIL" sponsored events. Maui, Atlantis, etc...
Once the NIL pay starts approaching NBA contract pay...then we'll start to see college programs more able to build programs with really good 2,3,4 year players.
I do think there could be a sweet spot era in college bball, within the next decade or so, where the money is attractive enough that the top 18-20 year old basketball talent, worldwide, ends up going to school, and largely staying at the same schools, for 2-3 years.
Right now...since there's so little real regulation, or incentive for loyalty and real development, its gonna be nuts for a bit. The two biggest things that could bring things "back" to the good old day feels...1)Some transfer regulations back in place 2) Ironically, MORE NIL money and engagement.
And yet...he's landed the following list of guys since arriving at IU...
Bates, JHS, Reneau, Ware, Mack, McNeeley, Tucker, and counting...
And that's not mentioning his "recruitment" of guys like TJD to stick with, and stay at IU.
Recruiting talented players hasn't been Woody's issue. Its roster construction, style of play, and substitution patterns.
Woody would be a great lead assistant for a powerhouse college program.
You're dumb. Woody is a 100% terrible human being with no redeeming qualities, and has never done anything for IU...ever.
Quinn, too.
//sarcasm//
Which is recruiting. Recruiting isn’t chasing 5 stars. Its finding program, system and culture fits. It’s exactly why guys like Hurley and Painter build great teams.
At times I've allowed myself the frustrating thoughts about him smoking cigars and golfing...but I'm usually pretty quick to snap back in to reality and see that he's done some good things at IU. But as an actual long term, program building and sustaining college basketball coach...he ain't the guy.
You're cherry picking, per usual...
But all in all, you're right. Woody's biggest problems, as I stated, are roster construction, style of play, and then substitution patterns with the players he ends up having.
A big part of recruiting is landing talent though, and he can land talent. I don't think he'll likely ever be able to consistently build the right type of talent, and then use them correctly, but he's going to get talented kids.
The difference b/t the NBA and college is that the NBA teams are much closer to each other in payroll. Sure, you may have a GS that has a payroll of over 200 million and a low team that is around 125 million. But in college you could have a KY that has boosters paying as much as the teams ranked in payroll from 50-300 combined.
You could have a team in a power conference playing a conference game where one team is making 100 times more than who they are playing against.
In the NBA perhaps a player could get twice as much by switching teams. In college a player could possibly get 1000 times as much.
Not cherry picking at all. Just saying sweeping in and throwing money at Tucker isn’t great recruiting. Having 7 openings and zero verbals a few weeks ago isn’t great recruiting.
I agree with your angle: he's gotten talented players, moreso than about anyone we've had post Knight, but just not at the right positions/skills. But, I also agree with the angle I think you're taking: he can get the players and talent, just needs to be better at getting the right ones. It's a shame McNeeley decommited. It would be pretty easy to see a good and well-rounded team with him in the fold, our returnees and then just a couple key adds. As it is we still need 4-5 players and "starter" level skills at PG and shooters. With McNeeley and adding a solid PG, we'd really only need depth at that point.
Doesn't McKeeley know that his skill set can be show cased at IU? So why wouldn't he want to as a shooter go to a place who needs shooters? This is why I think perhaps money is involved. He can get a bigger bag at another school. Now I don't know this for sure. But why decomit?
The fans of uk are too funny. I suggest they hire the top five coaches and each can coach one of the starters.
Does this mean Arkansas eats first?
Does this mean Arkansas eats first?
2 things with McNeeley...
1. Seems like there was an overall lack of communication between he and Woody and the staff. Obviously we'll never know the exact details of this. But if there were long gaps in any form of communication between Liam and our staff...to me, that's a fireable offense. I'm sure its not as exaggerated as it seems, and with how much we struggled this year, they just needed to communicate a lot MORE with Liam, to make sure he felt comfortable with what he was going to be walking in to next year.
2. Part of number 1, Liam likely saw Mack's overall "struggles", as it pertains to boosting his draft stock, and our offensive system this year, and realized that while we do need shooters, we aren't good at using them when we get them. Its a unique dynamic, because we've had some guys that have had some success. JHS, Miller and Trey LAST year, Mack was co B10 frosh of the year...but yet, the general sentiment is shooters struggle at IU, and/or we haven't had enough shooters at IU. And metrics back that up.
All in all...I doubt it was the NIL money...it was fit and communication, and both of those things eroding since he committed originally.
I don't know if it eroded in chicago. They have had to deal with a lot injuries primarily to Lonzo. I hope Lonzo comes back and is close to what he was. They were really going well when he was playing. This yer they have been without Lonzo again, williams is out, Lavine is out.
Decades ago my first job pre-college was as a car salesman. My second or third sale was one we had to order, it wasn't on the lot. So we ordered the car, and for the few weeks we were waiting on it I didn't call the buyer.
After two weeks he called me up and read me the riot act! He actually was very helpful...He was in sales and he told me that no communication to touch base and keep him updated on the status made it seem like I was happy to have made the sale but not to provide service. I was green and since I knew he knew it would be 3-4 weeks, I was too stupid to realize... He reminded me that people can get buyers remorse and bail, and just checking in telling them the status of their order, see if they had questions, would go a long way.
For sure...IU's basketball coaching staff should not be making rookie car salesman mistakes. That would have been like the main GM or Sales Manager over all of Bob Rohrman's stores making a similar mistake. Shouldn't even be a thing. And if I were Dolson, and I somehow knew that Woody and his staff left long gaps of communication time between them and McNeeley, I'd fire Woodson for that.
They will hire a big name no doubt. They dont mess around and hiring guys who played at kentucky 45 years ago. They get top coaches.
I really hope they whiff on Hurley and Oats, which is very possible. Really no idea what Dovovan wants to do, but NIL/portal makes college coaching a pain in the ass.
Not sure anything can pry Drew out of Baylor. He’s an odd guy.
Next thing they know they’re looking at Beard, who is far less exciting. Not sure who else would be next up.
Not sure anything can pry Drew out of Baylor. He’s an odd guy.
Next thing they know they’re looking at Beard, who is far less exciting. Not sure who else would be next up.
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I think the Portal makes college coaching a pain in the ass. As long as he has a good handle and relationship with the main NIL actors for his school, I would think NIL at a place like Kentucky would make recruiting a lot easier?
I guess NIL for 98% of the schools probably is a pain in the ass. But for the top schools...not as much.
"I can assure you our NIL package will be as competitive or more than anywhere else. Now, lets talk about how you can make yourself a lottery pick." Only a few coaches can say that and know they mean it.
And knew he was coming back and Liam didn't want to come off the bench. When LM signed, Mack was still projected as a first round pick. That probably has more to do with it than any other guess....
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