Hurley: 'Finding a General Manager is a top priority'

[dennismenace]

Good article here from Borges.

Main takeaways:

1) Staff will be focusing on 2024 recruiting until Jackson and Newton make their final decisions in a month from now.
2) Kimani and Luke will both be here next year
3) Hurley's main priority with the staff is hiring a GM, which is what Duke did last year, and Nova just did a week ago.

"In college basketball, it's an organization," Hurley said. "With re-recruitment of players in the program, the portal, there's a lot of things going on. If you're a top-level organization in college basketball or college football, you need someone who looks at themselves as a GM, for dealing with scheduling, the conference, NIL, raising money. It's almost more important than critical staff members."

Anyone got any good names to throw into the mix? An ex-player? AAU guy?

UConn men must be 'patient' waiting for Jackson, Newton decisions

The UConn men's basketball team won't know for sure its 2023-24 roster until at least another month, but Dan Hurley is preaching patience.

www.ctinsider.com

This almost sounds like a tier 2 position under the AD. The reality of the business world as now an integral part of the sports like basketball down to the recruit and player level is a reality. A "general manager" is a title that usually means someone who answers to the highest levels in a business. It appears DH sees this as a person inside the basketball program below the coaches. GM seems to be more of a business manager as opposed to a senior executive. This would seem to be a line position
(day to day operations) including a lot of detail work (or added staff) . I get that DH sees having direct control of this business manager in order to meet the needs of an expanding area of responsibility. He will have to sell this I think to the AD and other superiors unless it is already budgeted in. Good luck Danny. And bring your cost/benefit analysis with you.

 

[Jbirdp5]

Also found it interesting that the article mentioned Tom Moore also had received ms interest about head coaching jobs. I thought that was the one guy we didn’t have to worry about losing.

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

Here's an article about the Nova GM, Baker Dunleavy.
He will be the GM for the men's and women's programs.

Dunleavy Named General Manager of Villanova Basketball - Villanova University

New role returns the former Wildcats player and coach to Villanova

villanova.com

But, even more interesting is that every time they refer to Neptune, they do as "William B. Finneran Endowed Men's Head Coach Kyle Neptune".
I wonder if they introduce him that way during the starting lineups before games.

PA Announcer: "And the coach of the Villanova Wildcats, William B. Finneran Endowed Men's Head Coach Kyle Neptune"

 

[Get a Job]

Here's an article about the Nova GM, Baker Dunleavy.
He will be the GM for the men's and women's programs.

Dunleavy Named General Manager of Villanova Basketball - Villanova University

New role returns the former Wildcats player and coach to Villanova

villanova.com

But, even more interesting is that every time they refer to Neptune, they do as "William B. Finneran Endowed Men's Head Coach Kyle Neptune".
I wonder if they introduce him that way during the starting lineups before games.

PA Announcer: "And the coach of the Villanova Wildcats, William B. Finneran Endowed Men's Head Coach Kyle Neptune"

Imagine how long it would take Gameday Connor to say that!

 

[dennismenace]

Here's an article about the Nova GM, Baker Dunleavy.
He will be the GM for the men's and women's programs.

Dunleavy Named General Manager of Villanova Basketball - Villanova University

New role returns the former Wildcats player and coach to Villanova

villanova.com

But, even more interesting is that every time they refer to Neptune, they do as "William B. Finneran Endowed Men's Head Coach Kyle Neptune".
I wonder if they introduce him that way during the starting lineups before games.

PA Announcer: "And the coach of the Villanova Wildcats, William B. Finneran Endowed Men's Head Coach Kyle Neptune"

That's interesting; sounds like his position as head coach is directly funded by an endowment fund rather than through the general fund athletic budget. That dude Finneran stepping (stepped) up big time for the hoops program. Program is not going to be denied! Also, Dunleavy reports to the VP/ AD and not the Head Coach.

 

[Thirty Three]

Boo Willingham is an agent, draft consultant, and I believe has some kind of wealth management consulting company (or job) as well. He is probably well qualified but he’s living it up in Miami so it would likely be hard to lure him here.

 

[UofCT]

JR Smith

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Josh Nochimson?

 

[ctchamps]

Can I do it remotely?

Golf courses don’t always have the best reception.

 

[NJHoops]

JR Smith

That’s his guy! How much Dan likes JR has always been funny to me, but it makes sense.

 

[NJHusky]

Interesting you say that. I will always like Donny Marshall because he is part of the UConn family even though I don't always love his announcing. But there are a lot of UConn fans that hate Marshall's announcing. When I was reading the Duke forum I noticed a lot of their fans hate Jay Bilas. I like Bilas a ton. Deep down you know he wants Duke to win, but you would never be able to tell by the way he announces games unlike Dick Vitale.

P.S. I am glad Dick Vitale has made a great recovery from cancer, but I hated watching him announce Duke games.

I wonder if guys make a concerted effort not to be a homer, so their fans think they are anti home team.

Kind of like the coach is always harder on his own kid so as not appearing to play favorites

 

[smoothcriminal]

Why are we naming former players? This isn’t a coaching role this is an executive role.

 

[HuskyFich]

Why are we naming former players? This isn’t a coaching role this is an executive role.

Because the BY is the expert on roster construction/minutes and lineups/coaches and recruits.

Hurley is just a puppet.

 

[NJHoops]

This almost sounds like a tier 2 position under the AD. The reality of the business world as now an integral part of the sports like basketball down to the recruit and player level is a reality. A "general manager" is a title that usually means someone who answers to the highest levels in a business. It appears DH sees this as a person inside the basketball program below the coaches. GM seems to be more of a business manager as opposed to a senior executive. This would seem to be a line position
(day to day operations) including a lot of detail work (or added staff) . I get that DH sees having direct control of this business manager in order to meet the needs of an expanding area of responsibility. He will have to sell this I think to the AD and other superiors unless it is already budgeted in. Good luck Danny. And bring your cost/benefit analysis with you.

Yes, this gets at what the job is. The title is fancy, but the job isn’t quite that. That‘s why the last time it was proposed, it was more of a reassignment of job duties so that a current guy on staff would assume the role. They have a little more leverage now, what with the winning and the role itself becoming more of a thing across college basketball.

There was no rush for the head coach to get more money or guaranteed years (other than what kicked in automatically) right after the championship, but they do have some things in mind.

 

[businesslawyer]

In.

Does my one year of Division 3 wrestling get me over that hump?

 

[QDOG5]

Here's an article about the Nova GM, Baker Dunleavy.
He will be the GM for the men's and women's programs.

Dunleavy Named General Manager of Villanova Basketball - Villanova University

New role returns the former Wildcats player and coach to Villanova

villanova.com

But, even more interesting is that every time they refer to Neptune, they do as "William B. Finneran Endowed Men's Head Coach Kyle Neptune".
I wonder if they introduce him that way during the starting lineups before games.

PA Announcer: "And the coach of the Villanova Wildcats, William B. Finneran Endowed Men's Head Coach Kyle Neptune"

Are you saying Kyle Neptune is well endowed?

 

[UofCT]

Why are we naming former players? This isn’t a coaching role this is an executive role.

Former players can be executives too.

 

[TyroneShoo]

That's interesting; sounds like his position as head coach is directly funded by an endowment fund rather than through the general fund athletic budget. That dude Finneran stepping (stepped) up big time for the hoops program. Program is not going to be denied! Also, Dunleavy reports to the VP/ AD and not the Head Coach.

He passed a few years ago…He was a hedge fund manager and was very generous to the school. He donated over $22 million to renovate the basketball facility (Finneran Pavilion). The athletic department‘s biggest individual gift.

Nova doesn’t have the vastness of alums that a state school will have. But, their heavy hitters are legit. Nova’s NIL situation is apparently excellent. Randy Foye helped launch and manage their NIL collective. He and Dunkeavy are very bright. Nova is lucky to have them In the fold. But, like everyone else in this evolving landscape, figuring out how to understand rules (if they even exist anymore), organize, manage and distribute etc. is kind of a “learn in the fly” thing.

 

[QDOG5]

I think we need to come to a boneyard consensus of the pay range for this job. Are we thinking 200k-ish?

 

[GlastonTim]

$500k minimum

 

[karstenkibbe]

I think we need to come to a boneyard consensus of the pay range for this job. Are we thinking 200k-ish?

$175-250k DOE.

 

[navery12]

Baker Dunleavy was making $700K+ at Quinnipiac as of a few years ago, even if he took a paycut to move to Villanova you have to think he's getting $400-500K at a minimum. If we want to be competitive in terms of candidates it's gonna have to be significantly higher than the $200K number being thrown around

 

[UofCT]

Wonder if we can just add the responsibility of a GM to the DOBO position.

 

[CL82]

It’s pretty obvious that Jay Wright retired to make himself available for the gig.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Are you saying Kyle Neptune is well endowed?

I think they're saying the opposite, that he's endowed like someone named Finneran.