Hoops: College coaching carousel 2025

[tylerlindsey2111]

Would this finally be the time, in the NIL era, that Billy Donovan would come back to CBB? He is on the record of being tired of the lack of direction the Bulls have.

[Gerry Hamilton]

59 minutes ago, camridleyfan said:

Who are first 3 calls you would make ?

Want to be clear ...

1. I'm not saying anything with certainty. A lot of season remaining that has to play out 

2. Sean Miller was going to be the hire before Texas won the Sweet 16 game and made the Elite 8. I'm hearing a lot of Miami chatter with him (and Cronin)

[Rivalrygameblock]

OU ignoring hoops NIL with a decent history and Moser there is certainly a choice. I also can’t wait for the long-form takedown on Hubert Davis’ UNC tenure. 

[Hashtag]

1 hour ago, Austalgia said:

Chris Beard? Too soon? Is there a McDonalds between here and Mississippi? 

Chris Beard is NEVER going to coach at Texas again, not only because of his incident because of his public actions with regards to his lawyers statements post incident. 

[Jordan91]

1 hour ago, Austalgia said:

Chris Beard? Too soon? Is there a McDonalds between here and Mississippi? 

He has an average team. No thanks. 

[Jordan91]

4 hours ago, pinkman_90 said:

Heard Doug Gottlieb might be available 

Well played. 

[Fan of the Game]

5 hours ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

Seat is hot

Texas

Indiana

Seton Hall

Seat heating up (maybe a year away)

North Carolina 

LSU

Oklahoma (although OU isn't NIL invested to be truly competitive and the guy is a solid coach)

Butler

Minnesota

 

Note: Not getting into the mid-major jobs ... such as a San Diego (Steve Lavin)

 

Is Villanova also a possible hot seat?

[Gerry Hamilton]

7 minutes ago, Fan of the Game said:

Is Villanova also a possible hot seat?

Not sure on that one!

[Austalgia]

1 hour ago, Hashtag said:

Chris Beard is NEVER going to coach at Texas again, not only because of his incident because of his public actions with regards to his lawyers statements post incident. 

I know, I kid, I kid 

[Jordan91]

2 hours ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

Want to be clear ...

1. I'm not saying anything with certainty. A lot of season remaining that has to play out 

2. Sean Miller was going to be the hire before Texas won the Sweet 16 game and made the Elite 8. I'm hearing a lot of Miami chatter with him (and Cronin)

Appreciate the update Gerry. 

[Jordan91]

3 hours ago, tylerlindsey2111 said:

Would this finally be the time, in the NIL era, that Billy Donovan would come back to CBB? He is on the record of being tired of the lack of direction the Bulls have.

That name has come up often.

[bierce]

At what point do we start mentioning guys likely to move up or just want to leave their current digs?  Cronin to Miami was mentioned as a possibility.  I guess if you want to escape So Cal fires and cross country trips, then I guess it makes sense to go to a place at risk of hurricanes and with a threatened water supply and flights to places in close proximity like Boston, Syracuse, Berkeley, Palo Alto, and Dallas. 

1) Richard Pitino.  He's only 42.  He didn't have a lot of success at Minnesota, but neither did several predecessors, and when he finally got a decent practice facility, he made the tournament, had the next year cancelled by Covid, and had the one after that ruined by losing two starters for the season in February.  New Mexico could run away with the MWC regular season if it keeps it up (5-0 against other teams with winning record in conference, 17.6 average margin of victory).  There are coaches who didn't do well in their first chance coaching in a power conference but who later went on to strong careers at other schools.  Leonard Hamilton and Greg McDermott come to mind.  Shaka Smart may join that group.

2) Will Wade.  Also only 42.  He of the "strong-ass offer."  Show cause order expires in June.  Show cause carried a 10 game suspension (already served), restrictions concerning recruiting.  Hey, you guys really changed the rules about paying players since then.  That show you enough cause?  I suspect a lot of schools will show interest.

Louisville will probably throw a lot of money at Pat Kelsey to keep him.  Missouri already has thrown it at Dennis Gates. 

 

[Gerry Hamilton]

4 minutes ago, bierce said:

At what point do we start mentioning guys likely to move up or just want to leave their current digs?  Cronin to Miami was mentioned as a possibility.  I guess if you want to escape So Cal fires and cross country trips, then I guess it makes sense to go to a place at risk of hurricanes and with a threatened water supply and flights to places in close proximity like Boston, Syracuse, Berkeley, Palo Alto, and Dallas. 

1) Richard Pitino.  He's only 42.  He didn't have a lot of success at Minnesota, but neither did several predecessors, and when he finally got a decent practice facility, he made the tournament, had the next year cancelled by Covid, and had the one after that ruined by losing two starters for the season in February.  New Mexico could run away with the MWC regular season if it keeps it up (5-0 against other teams with winning record in conference, 17.6 average margin of victory).  There are coaches who didn't do well in their first chance coaching in a power conference but who later went on to strong careers at other schools.  Leonard Hamilton and Greg McDermott come to mind.  Shaka Smart may join that group.

2) Will Wade.  Also only 42.  He of the "strong-ass offer."  Show cause order expires in June.  Show cause carried a 10 game suspension (already served), restrictions concerning recruiting.  Hey, you guys really changed the rules about paying players since then.  That show you enough cause?  I suspect a lot of schools will show interest.

Louisville will probably throw a lot of money at Pat Kelsey to keep him.  Missouri already has thrown it at Dennis Gates. 

 

Will Wade is going to try and get any high-major gig he can after the season ... agent probably already is 

[Alex Butler]

3 hours ago, Austalgia said:

Chris Beard? Too soon? Is there a McDonalds between here and Mississippi? 

A couple and some Buccee’s 😂😂😂. 

[thatdude2]

Royal Ivey? 
 

Mark Few?

Bring Coach K out of retirement?

Popavich?????

Nick Saban??????

[bierce]

I'm wondering if a P5 school will take a gamble on Ben McCollum.  Might be a bit too early, because bringing your entire DII championship roster with you and using them to win the MVC (and beat Vandy and Kansas State along the way) might prove coaching chops, but it doesn't say anything about ability to recruit at a high level. 

[Gerry Hamilton]

10 minutes ago, bierce said:

I'm wondering if a P5 school will take a gamble on Ben McCollum.  Might be a bit too early, because bringing your entire DII championship roster with you and using them to win the MVC (and beat Vandy and Kansas State along the way) might prove coaching chops, but it doesn't say anything about ability to recruit at a high level. 

If I was Virginia, he would be on my list honestly. I'm a fan of his fit in the college game 

[tylerlindsey2111]

5 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

If I was Virginia, he would be on my list honestly. I'm a fan of his fit in the college game 

ARGUABLY... Best X's and O's guy in Country.

[BobInHouston]

6 hours ago, FAFO said:

Could we bring in a NBA guy lol

If the guy is looking to leave the NBA, probably forever, then yeah.

If it's a guy with Texas ties, I'd be surprised.

[bierce]

32 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

If I was Virginia, he would be on my list honestly. I'm a fan of his fit in the college game 

My only concern there is whether UVa might want to get away from slow it down style and might fear him being another slow it down coach. 

Some of his DII teams lit up the scoreboard, but his last title team never scored more than 70 in the entire tournament, and Drake is playing slower than any other team in the country this year.  Small sample size and credit to a coach for fitting playing style to the players, but I suspect UVa wants a lot of wins but also wants to avoid another decade of games in the 50s.

I'd accept the latter if it will gain me the former, and maybe McCollum won't play that way with P5 talent, but it's something to consider.

Edited February 6 by bierce

[BobInHouston]

4 hours ago, tylerlindsey2111 said:

Would this finally be the time, in the NIL era, that Billy Donovan would come back to CBB? He is on the record of being tired of the lack of direction the Bulls have.

Turns 60 this year, completing 10 HC years. I think he'd move over one seat than go back to college.

And that ignores his alleged hatred of college recruiting.

[bierce]

McCollum is only 43, btw.  If he gets hired and makes it, then the school hiring him could be set for nearly 30 years. 

[Thorn007]

Can’t get down 20 points to average teams on own court. Iowa st coach , Houston coach etc it’s time yo

[BobInHouston]

46 minutes ago, bierce said:

I'm wondering if a P5 school will take a gamble on Ben McCollum.  Might be a bit too early, because bringing your entire DII championship roster with you and using them to win the MVC (and beat Vandy and Kansas State along the way) might prove coaching chops, but it doesn't say anything about ability to recruit at a high level. 

This is my concern. Recruiting is an entirely different animal at high D-I.

[bierce]

Donovan also stated in the last couple of days that he is interested in being part of a rebuilding program, something he ran away from in OKC.  Of course, it might remain an open question about whether that rebuilding program needs to be in the NBA. 

But there aren't many guys who had successful NBA coaching careers that went back to college coaching.  Pitino, Calipari, Kruger, et al., pretty much crapped out in the NBA.