Hypothetical - If Calipari leaves...

[Mano]

A scary thought occurred to me while enjoying Kentucky's failure last night, with Shaka now off the market I was pondering who the potential pool of candidates for the UK job *could* be. Anyway you're all probably seeing where I'm going with this and mainly I was just hoping there would be some of you who can dream up some more likely candidates to put me at ease.

The list as I see it:

Hoiberg -- Probably wouldn't happen but I'm sure they'd try
Ollie ------ Hopefully they wouldn't even try
Wright --- I kinda see him as a guy with nothing left to prove at a school that could quickly become irrelevant
Few ------- Likely too old at this point
A. Miller - Perhaps too unproven but I would bet he'd be a hot name
Hurley ---- Probably needs a middle tier college job first before an offer from one of the bigger schools
Bennett --- I think he'd be their #1 choice but not sure his style fits their flash
Marshall -- I don't see it as a good fit but I think he'd have success there regardless

Although I do think the money would be tempting, I have no doubt the betrayal in the hearts and minds of UConn faithful would dissuade our guy.

 

[upstater]

Few, Miller and Marshall.

 

[CGarr]

Sean Miller would 100% be their #1 target.

 

[TheChamps990411]

Id be surprised if Squid comes back next year. I think if he gets an NBA offer and its a place where he could succeed in the near future hes gone. I think hes at the end of the line with college. He had the deepest most talented team in the country and still doesnt win the title. I mean hes had some of the deepest most talented teams since he got to UK and has 1 title to show for it and lets be honest its do to his coaching. The guy is great at managing egos so hes perfect for the NBA.

 

[Waquoit]

The guy is great at managing egos so hes perfect for the NBA.

I'm not so sure. He was a total and complete failure first pass. At KY he had ultimate hand, that wouldn't be the case in the NBA.

 

[bear]

He's not going to have a huge talent advantage in the NBA. I don't see GM's lining up to sign him. Watch what Brad Stevens does with the Celts, Cal isn't on the same planet in terms of X's and O's.

 

[UCweCONN]

I'm not so sure. He was a total and complete failure first pass. At KY he had ultimate hand, that wouldn't be the case in the NBA.

If he fails again in the NBA, at least he gave it a try to erase his only career failure (other than being a scumbag who got two schools sanctions......), and he's young enough to come back to college if it doesn't work out.

 

[Matrim55]

Sean Miller would 100% be their #1 target.

Yup. That fanbase would lose their minds if the administration brought in someone who didn't have a proven track record of recruiting blue chippers.

Kinda got my fingers crossed for Travis Ford, though. Because I love a good train wreck...

 

[champs99and04]

People gotta stop with this. There is a 0% chance Ollie is ever going to leave for another college job.

If Cal leaves, maybe Briscoe hits the market again. We could sell him on joining UConn greats like Allen Iverson.

 

[Mano]

People gotta stop with this. There is a 0% chance Ollie is ever going to leave for another college job.

If Cal leaves, maybe Briscoe hits the market again. We could sell him on joining UConn greats like Allen Iverson.

Like I said before I don't necessarily think he would take any other jobs. He passed on the overtures from the NBA and that, to me, was the most serious threat. But, as long as he is here his name is going to keep coming up again and again.

 

[Fishy]

I think those NBA overtures are mythical - not buying the Yahoo mouthpiece reports that claim he was offered $80,000,000 and complete control unless they're actually letting LeBron call the shots there.

He wouldn't fly in the NBA. At UK, it's all about him. In the NBA, it's all about the players and they'd come to resent him.

Plus, there's a premium placed on bench coaching and strategy in the NBA and that doesn't appear to be a strength.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I cannot see Kevin Ollie ever leaving UConn for another college job. NBA, yes. Another school, no.