by HJS on Mon Dec 14, 2020 2:43 pm
I usually have strong opinions on these things. But, I think the program is such a mess and college BB is so influx that I really don't know the path forward. Of course, unrealistically hiring someone like John Beilein is the easiest answer. Folks have mentioned Wojo and Willard and that would be most in line with previous hires (graduating form A10 to BigEast is comparable with going from current BigEast to ACC). Maybe a re-tread like Shaka Smart or his predecessor Anthony Grant would work. Maybe Mike Hopkins jumps before he is pushed. Maybe Bobby Hurley really wants to come back East.
Outside of that... I think it is a pure crapshoot. Can Wes Miller (or Mike Rhoads, Pat Kelsey, Darian DeVries, Jeff Boals, Porter Moser or Bob Richey) be effective at a major program? Can Eisley run a program and recruit as well as he has at Michigan? Do you follow the Hafley model by pulling a top assistant off an elite program like Hubert Davis or Jason Williford or Jon Scheyer or someone like Dane Fife (who Kraft overlapped with during their time at Indiana)? Do you go boring, safe and old with Cooley, Coen, Schmidt, O'Shea, Becker, Amaker?
I do not think there is a clear cut answer. I do not think there is a no-brainer option (like if Brad Stevens was fired but didn't want to move from Wellesley). Accordingly, I think Kraft should just go with who he thinks is the best coach to build a program from the ground up. It should be viewed as if BC Basketball is a new expansion team in the ACC. You need someone who can establish a foundation and a culture more than you need someone who is good at Xs and Os. Recruiting will be important, but possibly more important is the ability to develop players (which is something that hasn't been seen since Skinner).
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