Gusters to LSU

[AYusef]

Wow!!! This week has been full of surprises. My turban almost fell off when I read this news. When we found out that Gusters DID NOT want any colleges to contact her, it was evident she had already found a new home. It wasn't hard to figure out where. Unless you've been living under a rock, you knew EXACTLY were she was going. Kim needed height, and needed it badly. And with the new transfer rules, Gusters can play right away.

Baylor is going to be depleted by Mulkey's departure. This brings to mind the lyrics in the song by Frank Sinatra...That's life........."You're riding high in April, shot down in May." It's going to take whoever replaces her several years (or more) to get this program back up and running in the top 25.

It's going to take a coach with name recognition. Someone the top ranked prospects already know and are willing to play for. Otherwise, Baylor like so many other programs that won a national championship and then had a coaching change, died and never quite regained their once top 10 rankings (Louisiana Tech, Old Dominion, Purdue, Southern California, Texas and Texas Tech). These programs have NEVER recovered (no NC or FF) to this point, and may never return to prominence again. I'm still waiting on Baylor to announce Kim's replacement. Whoever it is may arrive to find the cupboard bare, and have to start from scratch. When Kim left, she took that program's heart and soul with her. Sadly, the Baylor WBB team we've known for the last 21 years no longer exists. We'll see how things work out. Right now, that body is on life support.

I don't see how Baylor recovers from this.. I agree a coach with big time name recognition would be needed. However, they're not too many of those in the women's game, and why would they want to go to Baylor? The chances of coming anything close to the success of KM will be slim and slimmer.

 

[Heytherego]

Interested retweet by Nalyssa Smith

 

[Gamecockfan77]

What program has the best two coach successs story?

Is there a program with two hall of fame caliber careers?

 

[HuskyNan]

What program has the best two coach successs story?

Is there a program with two hall of fame caliber careers?

UConn

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: Geno Auriemma

www.hoophall.com

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: Jim Calhoun

www.hoophall.com

Chris Dailey - Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame

As Connecticut’s top assistant coach for the last 32 years, […]

www.wbhof.com

And just for the heck of it

UConn Legend Nancy Stevens Looks Back on Hall of Fame Field Hockey Coaching Career - UConn Today

Nancy Stevens, the Hall of Fame head coach of UConn's vaunted field hockey program, reflects on her career after announcing her retirement.

today.uconn.edu

Tom Penders To Be Inducted Into Collegiate Basketball Hall Of Fame - University of Connecticut Athletics

UConn Athletic Communications / Nov. 29, 2020

www.google.com

 

[Gamecockfan77]

School with two hall of fame coaches in WBB, I mean.

like Roy Williams and Dean Smith, for example.

 

[AYusef]

Interested retweet by Nalyssa Smith

I hope this is not the case...

 

[SECbbfan24]

What program has the best two coach successs story?

Is there a program with two hall of fame caliber careers?

I mean there were leaks over a week long that Kim was entertaining the LSU job. I highly doubt the players found out before the official release by LSU. She talked with her team Sunday afternoon before LSU released it around 5 PM Sunday. She didn’t even let LSU know till Sunday

 

[Carnac]

BATON ROUGE, La. -- New LSU women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey has persuaded one of her top former Baylor recruits to follow her move to the Lady Tigers.

Hannah Gusters, a 6-foot-5 former McDonald's All American who was among the top-rated high school centers in the nation in 2020, is transferring to LSU, Mulkey announced on Saturday.

Gusters, who spent one season at Baylor, has four years of eligibility remaining and will be immediately eligible for the Tigers.

"This is a great opportunity to be part of Coach Mulkey's first team at LSU and to do whatever I can to help bring our program back to the national spotlight," Gusters said. "I trust Coach Mulkey and I know what she can do. She built the Baylor program from the ground up and I'm just excited to be part of what she's going to do at LSU." Don't be surprised if other Baylor players decide to join her as well, or leave for other programs.

Gusters scored in double figures six times in her lone season at Baylor, scoring as many as 22 points in a game. She also had a high of 10 rebounds in a victory over Kansas.

"Hannah was one of the top post players coming out of high school a year ago," said Mulkey, who was hired by LSU last weekend after spending two decades at Baylor, where she won three national championships.

"Hannah made tremendous strides as a freshman and we look for her to continue that success in Baton Rouge," Mulkey said.

Gusters has been invited to try out for U.S. Basketball's 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup team in Denver this month.

 

[AYusef]

I mean there were leaks over a week long that Kim was entertaining the LSU job. I highly doubt the players found out before the official release by LSU. She talked with her team Sunday afternoon before LSU released it around 5 PM Sunday.

Bad job Kim Mulkey... This move had to be in the making for quite some time, for her players to be some of the last to know. Especially a decorated senior like N'aylissa Smith is bad business.

 

[southie]

I mean there were leaks over a week long that Kim was entertaining the LSU job. I highly doubt the players found out before the official release by LSU. She talked with her team Sunday afternoon before LSU released it around 5 PM Sunday. She didn’t even let LSU know till Sunday

Not sure I believe that at all considering how long her son might have been keeping that secret . . .

 

[wolfe613]

School with two hall of fame coaches in WBB, I mean.

like Roy Williams and Dean Smith, for example.

can't think of one atop my head but if I had to make a future prediction it be Mccgraw and Ivey. players love Ivey and she definitely has the basketball pedigree, plus am a big fan of her son who is killing at Purdue!

 

[SECbbfan24]

Not sure I believe that at all considering how long her son might have been keeping that secret . . .

I can't speak for him but what I do know considering following LSU football over the last few months, we had multiple hires that were considered almost done deals before the other coach pulled out last minute. She may have decided she was heading to LSU but maybe was working with LSU on finalizing a contract until Sunday. If that didn't fall through, she is stuck at Baylor. I've seen that happen with many coaching hires over the years.

So my question is when was she suppose to tell them? She discussed it with her immediate family first, then her team before LSU went public with their official announcement. if people are leaking things ahead of time (like Kim and LSU being in discussions), not sure how thats Kim's fault in particular. I would blame LSU administration side or people involved with the hiring process for things to leak like that. I don't know any coach who tells their current team that they are in talks with another program for another job.

 

[Centerstream]

Interested retweet by Nalyssa Smith

I'm not Twitter savvy so can someone explain what a retweet is? Is it exactly what you (@Heytherego ) posted or is the retweeter required to add something to it?
Thanks.

 

[AYusef]

I can't speak for him but what I do know considering following LSU football over the last few months, we had multiple hires that were considered almost done deals before the other coach pulled out last minute. She may have decided she was heading to LSU but maybe was working with LSU on finalizing a contract until Sunday. If that didn't fall through, she is stuck at Baylor. I've seen that happen with many coaching hires over the years.

So my question is when was she suppose to tell them? She discussed it with her immediate family first, then her team before LSU went public with their official announcement. if people are leaking things ahead of time (like Kim and LSU being in discussions), not sure how thats Kim's fault in particular. I would blame LSU administration side or people involved with the hiring process for things to leak like that. I don't know any coach who tells their current team that they are in talks with another program for another job.

What about her players? her seniors like N'aylissa Smith who probably came to Baylor because of her. You don't give them a heads up? If it's true they found out through social media that's not the way to go out..

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

I'm not Twitter savvy so can someone explain what a retweet is? Is it exactly what you (@Heytherego ) posted or is the retweeter required to add something to it?
Thanks.

It's the Twitter equivalent of forwarding an email.

 

[Centerstream]

It's the Twitter equivalent of forwarding an email.

Thanks.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

I can't speak for him but what I do know considering following LSU football over the last few months, we had multiple hires that were considered almost done deals before the other coach pulled out last minute. She may have decided she was heading to LSU but maybe was working with LSU on finalizing a contract until Sunday. If that didn't fall through, she is stuck at Baylor. I've seen that happen with many coaching hires over the years.

So my question is when was she suppose to tell them? She discussed it with her immediate family first, then her team before LSU went public with their official announcement. if people are leaking things ahead of time (like Kim and LSU being in discussions), not sure how thats Kim's fault in particular. I would blame LSU administration side or people involved with the hiring process for things to leak like that. I don't know any coach who tells their current team that they are in talks with another program for another job.

There is no easy or good way to do this if a currently successful coach is leaving for another job. In the world now it only takes a few seconds to post something on social media and the world knows instantly. It's almost impossible to keep news like this hidden anymore even before it's official.

I feel for the players who are left behind when a coach jumps ship. We haven't seen as much of it in the upper echelon of women's basketball because the successful coaches tended to stay until they retired or in some cases were asked to retire.

 

[AYusef]

There is no easy or good way to do this if a currently successful coach is leaving for another job. In the world now it only takes a few seconds to post something on social media and the world knows instantly. It's almost impossible to keep news like this hidden anymore even before it's official.

I feel for the players who are left behind when a coach jumps ship. We haven't seen as much of it in the upper echelon of women's basketball because the successful coaches tended to stay until they retired or in some cases were asked to retire.

It's never easy, but unless this was a "last second" decision there was a chance to inform her players, at least the seniors. There had to be a better way for them then finding out on social media, please...

 

[SECbbfan24]

It's never easy, but unless this was a "last second" decision there was a chance to inform her players, at least the seniors. There had to be a better way for them then finding out on social media, please...

Are you saying that LSU and the media announced Kim was hired by LSU and that Kim didn't tell the team until after? The announcement was around 5 PM on Sunday and she reached out to players individually Sunday afternoon earlier that day according to her and LSU people. Unless she couldn't get ahold of Nalyssa, I find it hard to believe that she didn't say anything until after.

Unless you are referring to the articles all week from local BR reporters running with the rumors saying "LSU is closing in to a deal with Kim Mulkey" as the news.

 

[Rb335]

Are you saying that LSU and the media announced Kim was hired by LSU and that Kim didn't tell the team until after? The announcement was around 5 PM on Sunday and she reached out to players individually Sunday afternoon earlier that day according to her and LSU people. Unless she couldn't get ahold of Nalyssa, I find it hard to believe that she didn't say anything until after.

Unless you are referring to the articles all week from local BR reporters running with the rumors saying "LSU is closing in to a deal with Kim Mulkey" as the news.

I think it’s more that it was leaked over social media as unconfirmed rumors. The players probably didn’t know she was having discussions with LSU, as it would serve no purpose to tell her kids in case the deal fell through. If that happened, her players would question if she was still all in at Baylor. When the leaks came out, she was likely put in a position where she had to either dismiss the rumors or come clean. I’d guess she told the team before the official press release, but like all of us, her players were made aware of the possibility through social media. Pure speculation but based on my experience as a social media consumer and the dialogue of her players...this seems like a plausible scenario.

 

[oldude]

Smith is probably the team leader at Baylor and from her sm posts we can assume that there are some bitter feelings about Kim leaving. The fact that only Gusters has decided to transfer since Kim’s announcement tells me the Baylor players remain relatively united in their support for each other and the team.

 

[oldude]

Smith is probably the team leader at Baylor and from her sm posts we can assume that there are some bitter feelings about Kim leaving. The fact that only Gusters has decided to transfer since Kim’s announcement tells me the Baylor players remain relatively united in their support for each other and the team.

 

[Bald Husky]

For what it’s worth the transfer portal closes today, so if a player has not listed their name in the portal by today, it’s too late to do so. Gusters just got in under the wire yesterday. Transfers listed in the portal have until July 1 to sign with another team.

What if no one wants them, and they can't sign with another team? Does the original team have to take them back? Team chemistry will take a big hit, but of course there probably was not much to begin with if they wanted to get out.

 

[Bald Husky]

There is no way any big name coach, or any up and coming coach would go to Baylor. Vic and Texas will replace them as the power team in the Big 12. Kim did an extraordinary job there, almost doing the same miraculous transformational thing as Geno. Outsiders ask why would anyone want to go to Uconn, the cow town? We have Geno, thats why. The only thing Waco has is Chip and Joanna.

 

[southie]

Smith is probably the team leader at Baylor and from her sm posts we can assume that there are some bitter feelings about Kim leaving. The fact that only Gusters has decided to transfer since Kim’s announcement tells me the Baylor players remain relatively united in their support for each other and the team.

Maybe. Or, perhaps Gusters was the only one who acted very quickly. She might have already been contemplating a transfer prior to Mulkey's departure based on lack of playing time her first season, and upcoming season. And, maybe some of the players want to first allow the new coaching hire at Baylor to be named; and, then make the best decisions possible for themselves.