[jetpilot]

Wright was never an option. Hurley isn't going anyhere, UConn will pay up and he might win 10 in a row. Still plenty of options that may end up being better. Main thing is I'm ecstatic that Cal is gone. Already feel 1000 times happier as a lifelong UK fan. We will be fine.

[Spud6]

Wright was never an option. Hurley isn't going anyhere, UConn will pay up and he might win 10 in a row. Still plenty of options that may end up being better. Main thing is I'm ecstatic that Cal is gone. Already feel 1000 times happier as a lifelong UK fan. We will be fine.

Name the plenty of options that are better than Cal that are realistic

[Cactus Jack]

Everyone who is set on something above Scott Drew is probably setting themselves up for disappointment. Hurley is a pipe dream that will quickly be shut down in the next couple of days, if not by tomorrow night.

Would be great if someone better than Drew takes the job? Sure. But I'm starting to think that it's Drew and then everyone else.

Outside of him and Donovan, who I'll discuss below, there's a chance that it's an Oats, Pearl, or current college head coach. Past those, a pro assistant dropping down or someone jumping up from a school that hasn't been mentioned would be out of left field at this point.



As for Donovan:

Even if the Bulls were to fire him, he's about to turn 59 years old. Does he really go back to the college game and the demands that come with traveling for recruiting, evaluation, and in-home visits? There's a difference in getting on the team's jet to go to Salt Lake City, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, or Memphis on a weeknight versus doing the same for Starkville, Columbia, and Knoxville, or jumping off the runway in Tulsa and grabbing a rental car to drive three hours to see Jasper Johnson at Link Academy in Branson, Missouri.

There's also the matter of his spending the past decade working his way up the NBA ladder-- Oklahoma City to Chicago isn't exactly a small jump, and he's probably got at least one more stop in him.

For those types of reasons, as well as the risk he'd be taking by leaving for Kentucky if he ever wanted to get back into the pros at a later time, it's probably just as likely that he stays in the NBA as opposed to leaving for Kentucky even if he gets canned.

In Lexington, this isn't really the kind of decision that you want to rush, but next season is probably going to depend on what the next coach is able to pull out of the portal and even if the Bulls move on from Donovan, they'll want a replacement in place as well, so it could be awhile (read: after the NBA Finals) before they do so.

[jetpilot]

Wright was never an option. Hurley isn't going anyhere, UConn will pay up and he might win 10 in a row. Still plenty of options that may end up being better. Main thing is I'm ecstatic that Cal is gone. Already feel 1000 times happier as a lifelong UK fan. We will be fine.

Name the plenty of options that are better than Cal that are realistic

You can start with the 58 coaches who have won more NCAA games than Cal the last 4 years and go from there. The idea that only 2 or 3 people in the world are qualified to coach a basketball team is absurd. Nobody even knew who the heck Danny Hurley and Nate Oats were 2 years ago. Plenty of very fine coaches out there. The fact is Cal sucked bad the last 4 years and having to listen to his horse sh!t on top of that added insult to injury. All the people willing to give Cal another chance after the last 4 years should have no trouble giving a guy who doesn't suck a chance.

[Strikeout King]

More than likely it’ll be Scott Drew.

[Old School Hound]

^^^We all know how much you hate God but please can't you just leave religion and politics out of this hire!!! We just want the best BASKETBALL COACH.

My beef is not with God but with organized religion---any religion. I'm in awe of the Universe . I'm not in awe of Man's religion. I'm a very spiritual person and when I view wonders of the Universe like solar eclipses I definitely feel my connection to the Universe. Organized religion and spirituality are two totally different things.  Richard Dawkins explained why the Universe doesn't need intelligent design. And certainly, we can be in awe of our magnificent Universe without believing there was a Divine Creator.
The reason that religion was relevant to this UK hire is that Scott Drew is on record as saying that his most important job as coach is to lead his players to God, not winning basketball games. Nothing would make me happier than having a coach who is an anti-theist whose ONLY objective is to win basketball games. That would be ideal. Just win, baby!!! Leave the religiosity in the closet.


Let's go get Hurley or Donovan and give the new coach more money than any coach has ever gotten coaching basketball.

---

More than likely it’ll be Scott Drew.

And I'll join two Redhound coaches,   one current and one former, Tony Pietrowski and Rodney Woods, and root for the Big Orange over Drew's Blue.

---

Would Danny Hurley(or Billy Donovan) turn down $20 million/year for 10 years? I think not! Offer it! Hurley would be on a plane and in Lexington tomorrow.

[pjdoug]

Billy D.

[pjdoug]

Everyone seems to start to lean towards Scott Drew at Baylor….

I don't understand why Drew and Oats are even being mentioned

[pjdoug]

^^^We all know how much you hate God but please can't you just leave religion and politics out of this hire!!! We just want the best BASKETBALL COACH.

My beef is not with God but with organized religion---any religion. I'm in awe of the Universe . I'm not in awe of Man's religion. I'm a very spiritual person and when I view wonders of the Universe like solar eclipses I definitely feel my connection to the Universe. Organized religion and spirituality are two totally different things.  Richard Dawkins explained why the Universe doesn't need intelligent design. And certainly, we can be in awe of our magnificent Universe without believing there was a Divine Creator.
The reason that religion was relevant to this UK hire is that Scott Drew is on record as saying that his most important job as coach is to lead his players to God, not winning basketball games. Nothing would make me happier than having a coach who is an anti-theist whose ONLY objective is to win basketball games. That would be ideal. Just win, baby!!! Leave the religiosity in the closet.


Let's go get Hurley or Donovan and give the new coach more money than any coach has ever gotten coaching basketball.

---

More than likely it’ll be Scott Drew.

And I'll join two Redhound coaches,   one current and one former, Tony Pietrowski and Rodney Woods, and root for the Big Orange over Drew's Blue.

---

Would Danny Hurley(or Billy Donovan)  turn down  $20 million/year for 10 years? I think not!  Offer it!  Hurley would be on a plane and in Lexington tomorrow.

I understand the dislike of organized religion, but 
when I  look at this beautiful world with all the vibrant colors of flowers and birds amongst way too many other names to list I know that this had to have been created by a great architect

[pjdoug]

The A.D will bring one of the best coaches in, or it will be Hit The Road Jack.. You Don't Work here No Mo'

[Strikeout King]

Scott Drew is pretty close with Mitch Bernhardt. He took a Baylor team that wasn’t good and turned them into national champions two years ago.

I’d be okay with Drew but he wouldn’t be my first choice. He’s my 3rd.

For me, get on the horn, offer Danny Hurley a deal and make him tell you no. Then offer the same thing to Billy Donovan and make him tell you no before offering it to Drew.

[Strikeout King]

According to reports Kentucky is gonna contact Danny Hurley Billy Donovan and Scott Drew and make them say no.

Cal still hasn’t resigned from his job and theirs nothing new out of Arkansas….

[Spud6]

Is Cal dragging us along to hopefully collect a fat paycheck from a buyout or is he trying to screw us but waiting so long it messes with our recruitment and transfer portal stuff?

[Cactus Jack]

Would Danny Hurley(or Billy Donovan) turn down $20 million/year for 10 years? I think not! Offer it! Hurley would be on a plane and in Lexington tomorrow.

They wouldn't turn that down but Gregg Popovich is the highest paid NBA Coach (and is the Spurs' President) and he makes $16 million per. If we're paying 125% of the highest salary in the game, we should go ahead and see if it's enough for Phil Jackson or Steve Kerr while we're at it. $20 million is more than double the salary of the current NCAA leader's ~$9.5 million per.

I don't understand why Drew and Oats are even being mentioned :)

Because they are realistic names. Maybe you swing for the fences and get someone better. More likely, you put out feelers for your Donovans, Hurleys, and the like and get a quick no.

From there, you start needing a safe candidate that you know you can get. If they are also familiar with the college game insofar as the transfer portal and NIL landscapes, that's even better.


Nate Oats plays an exciting brand, is younger, and has a higher ceiling overall. Plus you are taking him from Alabama. There is the issue with his buyout and him being in a Stoops type situation where he'll never be fired for a few mediocre seasons at Alabama.


Scott Drew is more of a high-floor, mid-ceiling type. Not flashy but has a genuine feel that would connect with lots of fans. Baylor is a private school, so he can't go to his State Legislature for funding and though the details of his contract aren't entirely public, he has a relatively low salary and buyout.

He has also shown the ability to adapt, which Kentucky fans will probably welcome in the wake of Calipari. Drew went from recruiter/offensive coach who played lots of (gimmicky) zone to a team that, like many in Texas, including Beard's Texas Tech team, jumped on the aggressive "no middle" man-to-man defensive wave around COVID. To go from playing lots of 1-3-1 and 1-1-3 to "no middle" is a pretty big transition.

Even though the concept and defense itself weren't entirely new, the fact that there are now TONS of high school teams in Texas playing no middle is probably due to the success of the Bears and Red Raiders in consecutive years. Now teams are starting to catch on and Drew's defense dropped back to Earth this season, but the cat and mouse games of strategy continue.

If nothing else, he seems receptive to change in coaching philosophy and a willingness to try and stay ahead of the curve in the same way that Calipari tried to stay ahead in things like recruiting, "Pro Day" combines, NIL, etc.


At the end of the day, he obviously isn't the best candidate on anyone's Dream List, but Dream Lists are just that. There are questions about how he'd translate and what his true ceiling at Kentucky is. He's not the biggest name or a sexy hire, but he's also the most accomplished of the realistic options (read: he, Oats, Pearl, etc.) and would be the first coach in Kentucky history to have an NCAA Championship on his resume coming in.

He isn't Dan Hurley or Billy Donovan, but probably has a Tubby Smith type floor: a likeable guy who wins games, regular season titles, and conference tournaments; doesn't miss the Big Dance; seems unlikely to do anything that would tarnish the program's image; and doesn't come off as someone who thinks that they are bigger than the program and it's traditions.

Worst case, he just doesn't translate well. Year one sees a mish-mash roster but he gets a pass on a piecemeal team that misses the tournament. Years two, three, and four see disappointing regular seasons (by Kentucky standards) and early tournament exits (by last three years of Kentucky standards). Recruiting, the portal, and NIL aren't going well and it doesn't look like there's a solid plan for Final Fours and National Championships in place. Fans revolt, Drew is fired, and we begin the coaching search anew.

Best case, he nourishes the program over an eight to ten year career and is able to win at least one, but possibly two, National Championships while he and the school work on a succession plan that ultimately ends in his retiring with a replacement waiting in the wings.

[Spud6]

Is Brad Stevens not even a thought anyone is seeing on social media anymore?

[Strikeout King]

According to Dick Gabriel, Arkansas offered Cal, Cal then took it to Kentucky to counter it and Kentucky said No.

[Cactus Jack]

Is Cal dragging us along to hopefully collect a fat paycheck from a buyout or is he trying to screw us but waiting so long it messes with our recruitment and transfer portal stuff?

If I had to guess-- working out the final details on the deal with Arkansas. Maybe Arkansas or Cal's camp jumped the gun in going public, either unintentionally or as a means of gaining leverage in negotiations.

There's a slight possibility that there's some fighting between Arkansas/Calipari and Kentucky over a possible breach and/or damages as well, but would be surprised if things at this type of level even got to that point, especially if they couldn't ultimately be worked out.

I think we're past the point of no return with Calipari and Kentucky and don't want to begin thinking about the Arkansas job falling through, however unlikely that may be.

If none of the above, maybe some gamesmanship on Calipari's part, including strategizing on incoming recruits, the transfer portal, and NIL, but most likely just final negotiations on smaller things like incentives and ironing out last minute details.

Is Brad Stevens not even a thought anyone is seeing on social media anymore?

Brad Stevens is about as likely as Adolph Rupp coming back with James Naismith and Red Auerbach as his lead assistants.

[Spud6]

Is Cal dragging us along to hopefully collect a fat paycheck from a buyout or is he trying to screw us but waiting so long it messes with our recruitment and transfer portal stuff?

If I had to guess-- working out the final details on the deal with Arkansas. Maybe Arkansas or Cal's camp jumped the gun in going public, either unintentionally or as a means of gaining leverage in negotiations.

There's a slight possibility that there's some fighting between Arkansas/Calipari and Kentucky over a possible breach and/or damages as well, but would be surprised if things at this type of level even got to that point, especially if they couldn't ultimately be worked out.

I think we're past the point of no return with Calipari and Kentucky and don't want to begin thinking about the Arkansas job falling through, however unlikely that may be.

If none of the above, maybe some gamesmanship on Calipari's part, including strategizing on incoming recruits, the transfer portal, and NIL, but most likely just final negotiations on smaller things like incentives and ironing out last minute details. 

Is Brad Stevens not even a thought anyone is seeing on social media anymore?

Brad Stevens is about as likely as Adolph Rupp coming back with James Naismith and Red Auerbach as his lead assistants.

All fair points. Stevens has always been my pipe dream of coaches I wanted to see at Kentucky.

[jetpilot]

According to Dick Gabriel, Arkansas offered Cal, Cal then took it to Kentucky to counter it and Kentucky said No.

I saw that too. Cal wanted more money for losing to St Peters and Oakland. Greedy egomaniac sociopath. He can't get out of here fast enough to suit me lol.

[Strikeout King]

Mitch just released a statement on looking fir a new, proven coach

Cal released a video stating it was time for him and Erin to step away from the university

[Cactus Jack]

According to Dick Gabriel, Arkansas offered Cal, Cal then took it to Kentucky to counter it and Kentucky said No.

It's one thing to take that offer to Kentucky as a matter of course (kind of a "you don't know unless you ask").

But anyone who thought UK would even consider a raise when someone was willing to let them off the hook for a contract they were already looking to get out of is insane.

Again, I don't doubt it happened, because I'd think that this is exactly what his advisors would tell him to do, but I doubt Calipari thought that there was any chance that they'd actually match.

[Strikeout King]

From what I've read, their is a tier of coaches that Kentucky is planning on calling. Dan Hurley (UCONN), Billy Donovan (NBA-Bulls), Scott Drew (Baylor).

If they all say NO (Which I doubt they all three turn it down but if they do) then their is a second tier list of coaches that include Mark Few (Gonzaga), BYU's coach and several others.

Let's hope it doesn't get to tier 2....

I'm not sure on Nate Oats after he re-affirmed his commitment to Alabama last night.

[Strikeout King]

If what I just seen is true (and I believe it is) then holy sh**

[Jarons]

Is Brad Stevens not even a thought anyone is seeing on social media anymore?

I know the chances of landing Brad Stevens is very slim, I would be thrilled if he came to UK.

[Old School Hound]

^^^We all know how much you hate God but please can't you just leave religion and politics out of this hire!!! We just want the best BASKETBALL COACH.

My beef is not with God but with organized religion---any religion. I'm in awe of the Universe . I'm not in awe of Man's religion. I'm a very spiritual person and when I view wonders of the Universe like solar eclipses I definitely feel my connection to the Universe. Organized religion and spirituality are two totally different things.  Richard Dawkins explained why the Universe doesn't need intelligent design. And certainly, we can be in awe of our magnificent Universe without believing there was a Divine Creator.
The reason that religion was relevant to this UK hire is that Scott Drew is on record as saying that his most important job as coach is to lead his players to God, not winning basketball games. Nothing would make me happier than having a coach who is an anti-theist whose ONLY objective is to win basketball games. That would be ideal. Just win, baby!!! Leave the religiosity in the closet.


Let's go get Hurley or Donovan and give the new coach more money than any coach has ever gotten coaching basketball.

---

More than likely it’ll be Scott Drew.

And I'll join two Redhound coaches,   one current and one former, Tony Pietrowski and Rodney Woods, and root for the Big Orange over Drew's Blue.

---

Would Danny Hurley(or Billy Donovan)  turn down  $20 million/year for 10 years? I think not!  Offer it!  Hurley would be on a plane and in Lexington tomorrow.

I understand the dislike of organized religion, but 
when I  look at this beautiful world with all the vibrant colors of flowers and birds amongst way too many other names to list I know that this had to have been created by a great architect

Doesn't have to be intelligent design, imo,  but I am certainly fine with anyone looking at the Universe and believing that way. Religion, though...  man,  that is some toxic stuff. People kill each other because they believe their religion is right and another is wrong. I just despise it. The Universe is magnificent, except for human beings, who do everything they can to destroy the magnificence . If there was a designer, he should have stopped before humans. That was a failed design.

---

Scott Drew is pretty close with Mitch Bernhardt. He took a Baylor team that wasn’t good and turned them into national champions two years ago.

I’d be okay with Drew but he wouldn’t be my first choice. He’s my 3rd.

For me, get on the horn, offer Danny Hurley a deal and make him tell you no. Then offer the same thing to Billy Donovan and make him tell you no before offering it to Drew.

 I agree with you. And if Danny and Billy say no to $20 million a year(which they wouldn't), then offer it to Stevens, Wright, Few.  Drew would be way down my list. Other than the Naty season, he's been pretty pedestrian.

[pjdoug]

^^^We all know how much you hate God but please can't you just leave religion and politics out of this hire!!! We just want the best BASKETBALL COACH.

My beef is not with God but with organized religion---any religion. I'm in awe of the Universe . I'm not in awe of Man's religion. I'm a very spiritual person and when I view wonders of the Universe like solar eclipses I definitely feel my connection to the Universe. Organized religion and spirituality are two totally different things.  Richard Dawkins explained why the Universe doesn't need intelligent design. And certainly, we can be in awe of our magnificent Universe without believing there was a Divine Creator.
The reason that religion was relevant to this UK hire is that Scott Drew is on record as saying that his most important job as coach is to lead his players to God, not winning basketball games. Nothing would make me happier than having a coach who is an anti-theist whose ONLY objective is to win basketball games. That would be ideal. Just win, baby!!! Leave the religiosity in the closet.


Let's go get Hurley or Donovan and give the new coach more money than any coach has ever gotten coaching basketball.

---

More than likely it’ll be Scott Drew.

And I'll join two Redhound coaches,   one current and one former, Tony Pietrowski and Rodney Woods, and root for the Big Orange over Drew's Blue.

---

Would Danny Hurley(or Billy Donovan)  turn down  $20 million/year for 10 years? I think not!  Offer it!  Hurley would be on a plane and in Lexington tomorrow.

I understand the dislike of organized religion, but 
when I  look at this beautiful world with all the vibrant colors of flowers and birds amongst way too many other names to list I know that this had to have been created by a great architect

Doesn't have to be intelligent design, imo,  but I am certainly fine with anyone looking at the Universe and believing that way. Religion, though...  man,  that is some toxic stuff. People kill each other because they believe their religion is right and another is wrong. I just despise it. The Universe is magnificent, except for human beings, who do everything they can to destroy the magnificence . If there was a designer, he should have stopped before humans. That was a failed design.

---

Scott Drew is pretty close with Mitch Bernhardt. He took a Baylor team that wasn’t good and turned them into national champions two years ago.

I’d be okay with Drew but he wouldn’t be my first choice. He’s my 3rd.

For me, get on the horn, offer Danny Hurley a deal and make him tell you no. Then offer the same thing to Billy Donovan and make him tell you no before offering it to Drew.

 I agree with you. And if Danny and Billy say no to $20 million a year(which they wouldn't), then offer it to Stevens, Wright, Few.  Drew would be way down my list. Other than the Naty season, he's been pretty pedestrian.

And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.   There are lots  of great people in this world though. Look for the good and you will find  the good . I hope they get Billy D, Stevens or Wright. Barnhart needs to hit a homerun or go sit in a dugout somewhere else.

[pjdoug]

Would Danny Hurley(or Billy Donovan)  turn down  $20 million/year for 10 years? I think not!  Offer it!  Hurley would be on a plane and in Lexington tomorrow.

They wouldn't turn that down but Gregg Popovich is the highest paid NBA Coach (and is the Spurs' President) and he makes $16 million per. If we're paying 125% of the highest salary in the game, we should go ahead and see if it's enough for Phil Jackson or Steve Kerr while we're at it. $20 million is more than double the salary of the current NCAA leader's ~$9.5 million per.

I don't understand why Drew and Oats are even being mentioned

Because they are realistic names. Maybe you swing for the fences and get someone better. More likely, you put out feelers for your Donovans, Hurleys, and the like and get a quick no.

From there, you start needing a safe candidate that you know you can get. If they are also familiar with the college game insofar as the transfer portal and NIL landscapes, that's even better.


Nate Oats plays an exciting brand, is younger, and has a higher ceiling overall. Plus you are taking him from Alabama. There is the issue with his buyout and him being in a Stoops type situation where he'll never be fired for a few mediocre seasons at Alabama.


Scott Drew is more of a high-floor, mid-ceiling type. Not flashy but has a genuine feel that would connect with lots of fans. Baylor is a private school, so he can't go to his State Legislature for funding and though the details of his contract aren't entirely public, he has a relatively low salary and buyout.

He has also shown the ability to adapt, which Kentucky fans will probably welcome in the wake of Calipari. Drew went from recruiter/offensive coach who played lots of (gimmicky) zone to a team that, like many in Texas, including Beard's Texas Tech team, jumped on the aggressive "no middle" man-to-man defensive wave around COVID. To go from playing lots of 1-3-1 and 1-1-3 to "no middle" is a pretty big transition.

Even though the concept and defense itself weren't entirely new, the fact that there are now TONS of high school teams in Texas playing no middle is probably due to the success of the Bears and Red Raiders in consecutive years. Now teams are starting to catch on and Drew's defense dropped back to Earth this season, but the cat and mouse games of strategy continue.

If nothing else, he seems receptive to change in coaching philosophy and a willingness to try and stay ahead of the curve in the same way that Calipari tried to stay ahead in things like recruiting, "Pro Day" combines, NIL, etc.


At the end of the day, he obviously isn't the best candidate on anyone's Dream List, but Dream Lists are just that. There are questions about how he'd translate and what his true ceiling at Kentucky is. He's not the biggest name or a sexy hire, but he's also the most accomplished of the realistic options (read: he, Oats, Pearl, etc.) and would be the first coach in Kentucky history to have an NCAA Championship on his resume coming in.

He isn't Dan Hurley or Billy Donovan, but probably has a Tubby Smith type floor: a likeable guy who wins games, regular season titles, and conference tournaments; doesn't miss the Big Dance; seems unlikely to do anything that would tarnish the program's image; and doesn't come off as someone who thinks that they are bigger than the program and it's traditions.

Worst case, he just doesn't translate well. Year one sees a mish-mash roster but he gets a pass on a piecemeal team that misses the tournament. Years two, three, and four see disappointing regular seasons (by Kentucky standards) and early tournament exits (by last three years of Kentucky standards). Recruiting, the portal, and NIL aren't going well and it doesn't look like there's a solid plan for Final Fours and National Championships in place. Fans revolt, Drew is fired, and we begin the coaching search anew.

Best case, he nourishes the program over an eight to ten year career and is able to win at least one, but possibly two, National Championships while he and the school work on a succession plan that ultimately ends in his retiring with a replacement waiting in the wings.

Nate Oats would be my last choice.. Drew is a better character, but has one final four in  his career?  I'd choose Pearl or Slick Rick over these two.

[Old School Hound]

BBN losing their minds on social media. They have a bad feeling it's gonna be Drew and they hate the thoughts of Drew in Lexington. Some are even saying they're done if it's Drew.

---

Is Brad Stevens not even a thought anyone is seeing on social media anymore?

I know the chances of landing Brad Stevens is very slim, I would be thrilled if he came to UK.

I'd LOVE Stevens !!!  Took BUTLER to two straight championship games. Need I say more? Offer him 20 mil per/

[plantmanky]

Sean Miller will be the next Kentucky coach.

[jetpilot]

Bobby Reagan
@BarstoolReags
·
10m
Scott Drew getting a single 5 star - let alone multiple - to go to Baylor is more impressive than what 90% of coaches in America have done. Doesn’t even count the title, wins, best rebuild ever in the game.