Blaudschun thinks Ollie will look at NBA this off-season

[upstater]

The guy spells it "Huskie" so everything he says is suspect.

Out in Northern Illinois, there's a university that officially spells husky with an -ie and not a -y.

 

[MadisonSquare Gordon]

Do we really have to do this again? It's bad enough that we do this every off-season, now we have to start this crap during the season?

Like @imno1 said, why can't we take KO at his word. Would he succeed in the NBA? Sure, but I truly believe that KO loves this university and loves working with these kids. Money is important to all of us, but if KO can keep recruiting and winning, he'll be set at UConn. Also, in the college game, part of KO's appeal to recruits is that he really is a mentor and a father-figure to some of kids. I don't see that same (awesome) trait translating to the NBA.

Can't we please just enjoy this season with a coach and team that loves this university and has a real shot to do something special?

 

[Inyatkin]

Out in Northern Illinois, there's a university that officially spells husky with an -ie and not a -y.

Their coach is free to leave any time.

 

[Kitaman]

Warde leaving will have zero effect on Ollie.

I know I was curious of the contract terms that included Warde.

 

[RipCity]

Archie Miller recruited Dayshon Smith from Putnam Science Academy. We have 3 recruits there. We should probably offer Archie the job today before we run out of time.

 

[Hi-Low]

There will always be NBA jobs....the job security of NBA coach is zero....maybe in 3-4 years he'll jump but not now.

I don't see him bailing on UConn with his first full recruiting class coming in (4 - 5 kids)....would be doing himself, the recruits & UConn a great disservice. He certainly has every right to explore his options but it really would feel like unfinished business at UConn.

 

[jibsey]

Didn't the Knicks just fire their head coach? NBA jobs are so secure.

 

[UChusky916]

Are we going to have to ensure threads like this EVERY DAMN YEAR that KO is here?!

How quickly people forget that Ollie said this a few weeks ago:
"I'm going to be coaching this team for a long time," Ollie said Wednesday at practice. (January 27th)

I agree that KO will leave when he's got his best recruiting class coming in... finally he will have a team full of only HIS guys.

 

[Dogdeacon]

The coaching turnover in the NBA is exactly why Ollie rumors would inevitably resurface. And with the DFisch firing after there had been some talk that Fischer could help lure Kevin Durant it was inevitable that speculation would begin about anyone else with ties to Durant.

Its amazing how quickly things change, a month ago it seemed like Ollie - NBA speculation was a distant memory unlikely to return. Now I think Ollie will be standard speculation as a coaching candidate.

 

[MadisonSquare Gordon]

We should probably just pin this topic so we can just officially worry over it year round.

 

[FDNY99]

Last two paragraphs.



This sounds speculative to me. But - Blauds got the official news of Manuel getting hired by Michigan first, so he probably has some source(s) somewhere in UConn's athletic department. Eek?

Jungle Blauds hit on the Warde hiring because he is VERY tight with DeFlippo...he has no sources at UConn

 

[upstater]

Archie Miller recruited Dayshon Smith from Putnam Science Academy. We have 3 recruits there. We should probably offer Archie the job today before we run out of time.

The only problem I would have with that hire is that his assistant coach is very lazy:

 

[CAHUSKY]

KO will probably look at the NBA every year. If eventually he goes, we will find another coach. Until then, I won't waste a second of my time thinking about it.

 

[junglehusky]

Jungle Blauds hit on the Warde hiring because he is VERY tight with DeFlippo...he has no sources at UConn

Gotcha.

 

[RichZ]

I believe Ollie when he says he's got his dream job, and I do believe he wakes up every morning excited to go to work. I'm usually not big on conspiracy theories, but I wonder if Blaudshun's column is agenda driven. Maybe not his own agenda, but perhaps someone to whom he is in some way beholden. Get a rumor like that going and give it some legs, and maybe some of our verbals start to get iffy. Maybe KO starts having a tougher time convincing kids he'll be around for them.

At 70, I believe KO's coaching tenure at UConn will outlast me.

 

[intlzncster]

Kd loves la already spends his summers there. Lots of buzz without Ollie involved

There's been a ton of buzz with Ollie before. Even 'he's as good as gone' speculation.

From a personal perspective, with zero insider knowledge, I think Ollie stays at UCONN for life, provided they would have him. Wouldn't leave while JC lives. IMO

From what I gathered reading about Ollie over the years, money is pretty low on his list of priorities. He's got one kid in college, on scholarship. And another who's about 16 (?). So raising a family from a monetary perspective isn't a worry.

 

[intlzncster]

Out in Northern Illinois, there's a university that officially spells husky with an -ie and not a -y.

And that university out in Northern Illinois ain't UCONN.

Guy's got to get it right.

 

[intlzncster]

I believe Ollie when he says he's got his dream job, and I do believe he wakes up every morning excited to go to work. I'm usually not big on conspiracy theories, but I wonder if Blaudshun's column is agenda driven. Maybe not his own agenda, but perhaps someone to whom he is in some way beholden. Get a rumor like that going and give it some legs, and maybe some of our verbals start to get iffy. Maybe KO starts having a tougher time convincing kids he'll be around for them

I think it's just that people outside of the sphere of the program look at the situation in a vacuum. They aren't privy to the family atmosphere and the (continuing) impact JC has had on the program. So when they see Ollie is an NBA candidate, they think, "oh he's gone". But this ain't like leaving Zona or something.

 

[Husky25]

Last two paragraphs.



This sounds speculative to me. But - Blauds got the official news of Manuel getting hired by Michigan first, so he probably has some source(s) somewhere in UConn's athletic department. Eek?

That wasn't exactly deep diving investigative journalism.

 

[Kembacity]

Since the fact remains that being an NBA coach can be a very short-lived experience almost regardless of success vs expectations, I am not going to be concerned with the odds Ollie leaves for an NBA head coaching gig.

Also, are people still going to daydream about a coaching hire or a draft pick being enough to cause a marquee player to either change teams or stay where he is? It worked out really well for Miami drafting Shabazz, didn't it?

 

[Walker11]

Eh, with all young inexperienced coaches it's a gamble . Who really knows how KO would fare at the pro level (more nuanced rotations and player personality managing), I will say there are a lot of coaches who can't coach in the NBA right now with jobs. Also lets not forget prestis first choice pre donovon was Ollie , and presti is as sharp as they come (sans harden and Rj being traded for pocket lint).

The jump from college coaching to the NBA has been widely publicized as near impossible , but it's different when that coach was just in a playoff locker room 6 years ago. Having said that it's clearly in kos best interest to win with his 2016+ 2017 classes while producing pros

I agree with basically everything you said. But I do think Presti is way overhyped. His draft pick record is impeccable but you mentioned a few bad trades and I think he has done a sub-par job in FA as well.

 

[lange10]

Archie Miller recruited Dayshon Smith from Putnam Science Academy. We have 3 recruits there. We should probably offer Archie the job today before we run out of time.

I for sure do not think Ollie is leaving but god forbid he did, Miller is actually the guy I'd like us to hire.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Based on KO's pedigree, success at UConn, and ties to various NBA stars, this rumor will never go away.

PS - KO is a very good coach; but, not even God can fix the Knicks. I would stay far, far away from that organization.

 

[amory]

I don't think he's going anywhere.

Only organization that I thought had a chance was OKC and they went with Billy Donovan. We can relax for a while.

 

[Huskyforlife]

No one is paying more than us to have Kevin Ollie coach their team.