Duke Considers (and Hires) Kara Lawson for HC [merged thread]

[donalddoowop]

This is a great hire for Duke. I just cannot imagine a better ambassador for the university and the sport that Kara Lawson. Class act all the way, and in no time Duke will be giving UConn fits on the court.

I am going to adjust one of your points, the last one. NO TIME will Duke be giving UConn fits on the court!

 

[jaundicedeye]

Duke about to become the new Notre Dame.

Got to get 'em back on the dance card.

 

[triaddukefan]

 

[Carnac]

TIme for some cheap wine, chocolate cake, and banana pudding ice cream

Yes Triad. Definitely an occasion to celebrate.

 

[triaddukefan]

Not sure if Debbie Leonard has a twitter account

 

[sdhoops]

Azzi Fudd's dad made a Tweet that has me wondering if this is what the doctor ordered for her to go to Duke? Tbh, I'd be happy for her if she went and for Kara.

 

[hoophuskee]

Azzi Fudd's dad made a Tweet that has me wondering if this is what the doctor ordered for her to go to Duke? Tbh, I'd be happy for her if she went and for Kara.

Huh???????????????????

Please don't say you are a UCONN fan. You have to be a non-UCONN fan to make a post like this. It's too bizarre otherwise. "Oh well," if UCONN loses?

 

[The CDR-Ret]

It is fine for Azzi to be a Duke fan 364 days and 22 hours in all non-leap years {add one day during leap years}, because Kara Lawson is the real deal.

As long as Azzi is suiting up for UCONN and doing her part to destroy Duke during those remaining two hours. I have NO problem with that.....

Duke can be National Runners-up, as long as UCONN is the Champion. No worries, as fear (and worry) is a potent immuno-suppressant.

Stay healthy, my friends!

 

[sdhoops]

I am a UConn fan. I lost "friends" defending my Huskies to the death. I'm also realistic and know we can't get everybody...keywords: "I'd be.." and "if." I didn't say "I hope" or "she will" or "F the Huskies."

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

Kara Lawson is a huge hire for Duke!
It will take her and her NEW staff and their players a while to all get on the same page!
But have no doubts that as Kara gets settled in the program will improve!
I disliked Kara as a player at TN because of Kara's competitive spirit and intelligence, but those are the reasons she'll become a really good head coach! She knows her Basketball!
She has been a success where ever she was, player, announcer, asst. coach with the Boston Celtics and now she'll be a success in time at Duke.
She'll also be a big-time recruiter with her name recognition factor as a key!

 

[bballnut90]

I think Carla Berube at Princeton and Marissa Moseley at BU should be added to the list. Now more than ever the virus needs to go away. Women's basketball keeps getting better and better.

Good coaches but was listing new coaches at big time programs which have had a history of success on the big stage. All of the above programs have made a Final Four in the past 20 years and have a more realistic shot to become a national power. Berube/Moseley have great starts but Princeton/BU are unlikely to ever compete for a Final Four.

 

[DaddyChoc]

She is currently an assistant with the Boston Celtics

Are you saying that’s better than Shea being under Geno?

 

[Boreifs]

Are you saying that’s better than Shea being under Geno?

I was stating a fact in response to someone who didn’t know it. Paranoia is not a good look

 

[bluedevil]

Why? Duke is low on talent and has, in fairness, an unproven coach. Alternatively can play with a stacked lineup, in a system suited for her game, for the best coach in history. I think the smart decision is to end up in Storrs.

Because first of all she can be like Lobo was to Uconn..second because Duke is a magnificent place to be...I can't tell you how much pride I feel being able to tell anyone who asks me where I went to school and I say Dook....

 

[MilfordHusky]

I like Kara. Why? She's smart, articulate, funny, and personable. She also is objective about Geno and UConn and gives them their due. Plus, she's from Alexandria.

 

[msf22b]

I am personally delighted to see Kara take over the reigns at Duke.
Who can doubt her BB savvy, or intelligence?
She's been a fav on this board for years; her Tennessee ties forgiven.

Still, as she must be aware, there are additional responsibilities for which her record is unknown. namely recruiting and her ability to relate to the current crop of talented and (in Duke) brainy, teen-age, young woman.

As with every new coach, the jury is out...in her case, there is some expectation that she will prevail.

 

[wes33]

Good DBR read.

Duke Fans Should Give Kara Lawson A Warm Welcome And A Long Honeymoon

It may take a while to get things heading in the right direction so Duke fans should be patient.

www.dukebasketballreport.com

 

[Husky pride]

I am a UConn fan. I lost "friends" defending my Huskies to the death. I'm also realistic and know we can't get everybody...keywords: "I'd be.." and "if." I didn't say "I hope" or "she will" or "F the Huskies."

Say what you will...but with UConn fans dying for Azzi to attend our flagship university , it certainly didn’t leave the impression you were a solid UConn supporter. Just saying.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Because first of all she can be like Lobo was to Uconn..second because Duke is a magnificent place to be...I can't tell you how much pride I feel being able to tell anyone who asks me where I went to school and I say Dook....

Duke now is not in the formative stage that UConn was when Lobo was there. It’s rebuilding. Duke has had AA’s before. And even Lobo was teamed with two future Players of the year. And as for UConn, trust me I feel every bit as much pride saying I attended UConn.

 

[Carnac]

The ink is barely dry on her contract, and some folks are already questioning if she will be successful, and how quickly that success will come. Coaches are judged by how many championships they win. I wonder how many fans and WCBB critics will deem Lawson a failure if she doesn’t win right away? She must be given time to recruit her own players and given time to blend them into a functional unit.

How many years did it take Geno to win his first one? It took Mulkey 5 years to win her first one at Baylor in 2005. Staley won her first NC in her 17th year as a coach. Lawson should not be judged until she’s had time to get all of the players she inherited out, and her players in.

Any talk of Duke seriously challenging UConn in the next few years is speculative. Duke must catch and pass all of the programs ranked beneath UConn first.

Congratulations Kara Lawson as you begin the next phase of your life and coaching career. Blue Devil Nation and all of your fans are with you. Show them how it’s done.

 

[eebmg]

Good News is that the bar at Duke may not be as high as it used to be with Coach K's team lately under-performing. relative to their talent. I know it is not the coaches fault since it is one and done but ....

 

[baggerbob]

Kara Lawson is a huge hire for Duke!
It will take her and her NEW staff and their players a while to all get on the same page!
But have no doubts that as Kara gets settled in the program will improve!
I disliked Kara as a player at TN because of Kara's competitive spirit and intelligence, but those are the reasons she'll become a really good head coach! She knows her Basketball!
She has been a success where ever she was, player, announcer, asst. coach with the Boston Celtics and now she'll be a success in time at Duke.
She'll also be a big-time recruiter with her name recognition factor as a key!

Be honest if you are the the parent of a highly recruited young women basketball player, and Kara Lawson offers her a scholarship to Duke, wouldn' t you want her to accept? Any parent would want their daughter to turn out like Kara.

 

[hoophuskee]

Be honest if you are the the parent of a highly recruited young women basketball player, and Kara Lawson offers her a scholarship to Duke, wouldn' t you want her to accept? Any parent would want their daughter to turn out like Kara.

You'd want your daughter to be happy. There are other great schools and great and/or potentially great coaches besides Duke and Kara.

 

[bluedevil]

Duke now is not in the formative stage that UConn was when Lobo was there. It’s rebuilding. Duke has had AA’s before. And even Lobo was teamed with two future Players of the year. And as for UConn, trust me I feel every bit as much pride saying I attended UConn.

How many national championships before Lobo?..same as Dook women have...Fudd could be the catalyst to a National Champ...that's my point...not trying to take anything away from my sister's alma mater ...

 

[hoophuskee]

Say what you will...but with UConn fans dying for Azzi to attend our flagship university , it certainly didn’t leave the impression you were a solid UConn supporter. Just saying.

I think I get what he or she was trying to say. And definitely it seems he or she is a huge enormous huge fan. But still . . . taking a step back -- the answer is "NO!" NO! I wouldn't be "happy" -- AT ALL - if Azzi went to Duke or anywhere else other than UCONN.

I get "if she didn't go then so-and-so-school is fine," in terms of being a good sport/ showing sportsmanship etc. But these games are about competition. And speaking as a fan-- no it's not "happiness." I don't understand how it could be. How many UCONN fans were happy this year to see Ionescu-led team beat UCONN? Or Boston and others from South Carolina beat UCONN? How about we lost Lauren Cox years ago- we were happy she ended up eventually beating us and wining a championship?

I'm all for sportsmanship and respect. Something I felt a certain Notre Dame Coach lacked after a certain point in time. However, for me, there is a line drawn for healthy respect and wanting my team to win. Azzi as a soph got an award for best High School basketball player. As a soph. That's super. Possibly Haley Jones might have been the best but the point is Azzi is extremely extremely extremely unusual. In basketball - one player is enormous. Not all number 1 recruits are the same. I can respect a decision but I'm not going to be happy about potentially having South Carolina favored to win going forward (if UCONN doesn't get Azzi), along with maybe some day Azzi the potential phenom may wipe our team out. That's not happiness in any sense.

Further, I can acknowledge that my team cannot win a championship every year and respect other champions. But it doesn't mean I have to like it or be happy for another team.