[Cactus Jack]

A question for BGR BBN fans: If you could pull the trigger on this trade right now , would you do it?

HOF'er John Calipari for two-time Naismith COTY , two-time AP COTY, 2019 National Champ , Tony Bennett of UVA?

Calipari for Bennett... anyone ?

Absolutely not.

Bennett is a good coach but he works better at rebuilding a once competitive program like Virginia or turning a football school into a competitor than he does for a program like Kentucky, Kansas, or North Carolina. Recruiting is one of the biggest draws for those types of jobs, and I just can't see many top recruits wanting to play his style of basketball. I don't think that changes anytime soon either. He's had 11 players drafted, with four of those from his 2019 team & the best of those (Klay Thompson) being one of the oldest.

Here are the results of his past seven seasons:

2018 - #1 seed, upset by #16
2019 - National Champ
2020 - COVID (20-7, #42 KenPom)
2021 - #4 seed, upset by #13
2022 - NIT
2023 - #4 seed, upset by #13
2024 - #10 seed, lost in play-in

Honestly, if he doesn't find a way to reinvent himself or return to form at Virginia, he might be out in a few years. If so, he probably fits better stylistically in the Big Ten, but I also wouldn't really be shocked if he wound up at a Georgia or Texas A&M-type SEC program that wants to be seen as making a splashy hire either.