Candid Coaches: Who was college basketball's best high-major coaching hire of 2024?
We asked coaches for their opinion on who was the big winner of the most recent coaching carousel
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Candid Coaches: Who was college basketball's best high-major coaching hire of 2024?
- Thread starter Smashcat
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This is silly BS.
- "Cal stayed too long at Kentucky. He knows that now. But I talked to him on the road, and you can just tell that a weight has been lifted off of him. I'll be shocked if he doesn't go to another Final Four. He's going to win big again. He has everything he needs to win big again."
Here is a sobering stat on Cal; with 4 straight top 5 recruiting classes (2020-2023), from 2021-24 there was a chance to win 36 post-season games (24 possible NCAAT wins and 12 possible SECT wins). He won TWO.....
Seth keeps that head shaved because it makes entering so much easier for him and cal
On Mark Pope
He's not a guy that's looking for a microphone every 10 minutes to state his case. He doesn't make a lot of excuses. Basketball is what drives him. Underrated recruiter, very good talent evaluator and knows how to stay ahead of the curve offensively and be impossible to guard in space. Uses his personnel like a surgeon.
Everyone on the floor is really good at something and they'll buy into that role."
"I know this isn't the guy Kentucky fans thought they were going to replace Cal with -- but he's already won them over. He'll be super there. And he really is a brilliant offensive coach. So not only will he be good there, but they'll be fun to watch. He might not dominate the recruiting rankings like Cal did because lots of schools are using NIL. But he'll get good players and win big
He's not a guy that's looking for a microphone every 10 minutes to state his case. He doesn't make a lot of excuses. Basketball is what drives him. Underrated recruiter, very good talent evaluator and knows how to stay ahead of the curve offensively and be impossible to guard in space. Uses his personnel like a surgeon.
Everyone on the floor is really good at something and they'll buy into that role."
"I know this isn't the guy Kentucky fans thought they were going to replace Cal with -- but he's already won them over. He'll be super there. And he really is a brilliant offensive coach. So not only will he be good there, but they'll be fun to watch. He might not dominate the recruiting rankings like Cal did because lots of schools are using NIL. But he'll get good players and win big
Cal is just the biggest name among this group.
He’s had a great HOF-worthy career but
I do believe his best days are long behind him.
He’ll be 66 before the next NCAA tournament. I can’t expect him to have more than 3 years left at this point.
He’s had a great HOF-worthy career but
I do believe his best days are long behind him.
He’ll be 66 before the next NCAA tournament. I can’t expect him to have more than 3 years left at this point.
I like that all the Cal quotes were “oh he’s now motivated again and he’ll be good” whereas all the Pope comments talked about how gifted of a coach he is.
On Pope: “Uses his personnel like a surgeon.”
Love that quote.
Love that quote.
I had not heard this. At what point in the process did he try to get the Kentucky job bach.
Thanks
A coach needs to be MOTIVATED every season or he’s going to get sub par results. If he isn’t motivated he needs to quit.
So the 10 million a year wasn’t motivation enough? He gets so many excuses made for him. The fact is that he blew it. He had more talent than most year in and year out. His ego wouldn’t allow him to change here but now that he’s at Arkansas he’s doing exactly what the fans wanted him to do here.
I do not buy this whole "lack of motivation" angle that people push with Cal.
The talent level that Cal was pulling in towards the end did not match the talent level he was pulling in at the beginning. And his coaching (or lack thereof) could not make up for that.
That being said, if he could go back and recruit at the level he was once pulling guys in, yeah it's not out of the realm he could get back to the final four. The guy has been there with Umass, he's been there with Memphis......UK.
It's doubtful. I think time is against him. But not a crazy thought. I thought the article was fair.
The talent level that Cal was pulling in towards the end did not match the talent level he was pulling in at the beginning. And his coaching (or lack thereof) could not make up for that.
That being said, if he could go back and recruit at the level he was once pulling guys in, yeah it's not out of the realm he could get back to the final four. The guy has been there with Umass, he's been there with Memphis......UK.
It's doubtful. I think time is against him. But not a crazy thought. I thought the article was fair.
I agree with a lot of this, but I do think Cal's very motivated again. I think he lost a lot of it, even Pitino said when asked about Cal leaving he said that coaches get complacent and need a change to fire them up. Cal was at his best when Pitino was at UL. And Cal was well aware the UK media and fans were wanting him out, he'll use that. I bet he gets to another final four or two. He's 65, he could easily go another 5-8 years.
He was motivated last year and completely shit the bed. National writers don’t have a clue what’s going on with him. We do. Glad he’s Arkansas problem now.
I don't know if Cal was motivated, but the team sure wasn't. The lack of effort and intensity in both the SEC Tournament and NCAA Tournament games the last two seasons (if not more) meant a change was needed. I'm just glad Arkansas hired him. I'm excited to see what Pope can do at UK.
