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
I would say all that is surprisingly very fair.
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.
If he wanted out so bad why did he try to get the Kentucky job back? Cats gonna run him bad
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.
You haven’t heard it because it didn’t happen, respectfully.
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.
Should’ve just retired that was always the plan
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.
If Cal wins 3 straight titles at Arkansas, I'll STILL be glad that he's gone!
I just can't stand him any longer.
I just can't stand him any longer.
So UK fans were being unrealistic towards their attitude with cal but now that Cal’s away from UK he is motivated again?
Cals last days were behind when John robic left. Watch some games. Talk to players. Cal thought he could replace him never did. Look at the record. With with out. Robic ran the team. Cals a bad coach. Sorry. He wasnt enen in the game. Forgot players were on the bench. He won't do better. Terrible staff.
I don’t think Cal has that drive for a second title. I’m sure he’d like it, but his priorities have shifted away from it and I don’t think it’s something that really consumes him. But I do get the media hype, it’s pretty rare to have a HOF, title winning coach leave a blue blood for an in-conference opponent.
I’m not buying the “lesser” pressure he will face at Arkansas. That fanbase will have high expectations for him, and if he drops a game to some random team in Bud Walton; well, he’s going hear the same stuff he heard in Lexington. The pressure might not be BBN levels, but shit the bed in the SECT and NCAAT (again) and their fans will be just as pissed as we were the last few years. I don’t think theyre going buy into the “chasing dreams” spiel, either.
I’m not buying the “lesser” pressure he will face at Arkansas. That fanbase will have high expectations for him, and if he drops a game to some random team in Bud Walton; well, he’s going hear the same stuff he heard in Lexington. The pressure might not be BBN levels, but shit the bed in the SECT and NCAAT (again) and their fans will be just as pissed as we were the last few years. I don’t think theyre going buy into the “chasing dreams” spiel, either.
I’d also add Cal also doesn’t have the luxury of falling back on his record there. They have seen results at UK and will have high expectations from him. When he starts losing for no apparent reason they will have less patience because he hasn’t done anything there yet.
Yep! Those mean and unrealistic Kentucky fans just didn’t appreciate him and he’d go on to have great success after leaving the pressure cooker…lol
Holy shit!! I can hear his voice in my head when I read it. That is exactly how that guy talks. I know I've heard him say "I'll be shocked if xyz doesn't happen" many times before.
You nailed it.
I agree, I’d be surprised if he finishes his five year deal. Maybe if they have a final four run or something, but I could see him going out like that to show everyone he still had it.
No doubt, plus he’s one of the only ones who constantly talks Cal up during the offseason. Always has a reason why this is the year.
The 2015 heartbreak killed his motivation to win ships I believe. 2017 brought it back, but they got screwed and I think that put and end of those priorities for him. He wanted something he could totally control, recruiting kids who can go pro to make his philanthropy feel greater. Helping families became his goal.
He will also have the luxury of larger NIL contribution (supposedly). It's one thing to disappoint your fanbase and lose, but it's another thing when the fanbase is literally helping pay for the elite recruits and losing. In the past four years, Arkansas has two Elite Eights and a Sweet Sixteen. While there's plenty to not like about Eric Musselman, he set a new standard in Fayetteville. That NIL funding will probably dry up real fast if Calipari's only results are NBA draft picks and second round exits.
The type of recruiting he’s doing. He isn’t relying heavily on freshmen look at his roster. Compare the roster he has At Arkansas to what he had coming in to UK.
