LSU WBB coach Nikki Fargas has stepped down

[ScottCT]

It's time. She deserves another chance.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Some boosters want the Florida Gulf Coast coach Karl Smesko. Not sure how good he would recruit down here.

He is only 50 years old.

Would be pretty interesting. He's done well. Mizzou State (or Pingeton for that matter).

 

[skilz]

 

[SECbbfan24]

The LSU boards would love Mulkey (I would too) but she is retiring at Baylor. Got to think outside the box and hope we find the next up and coming coach.

 

[DefenseBB]

Some thoughts

-She saw the writing on the wall and decided to go out on her own
-Hopefully this isn't anything medically related
-The AD has someone in mind and encouraged her to announce this or be fired

It didn't workout, best of luck Nikki.

Or, and here’s a thought, she had the audacity to ask for an extension as her contact is up next year and she wanted assurances to encourage recruits. The AD told her the same thing the Duke AD told JPM and Nikki decided to save face and step down vs. be fired or embarrassed.

No logical explanation could be given for her to wait this far into the offseason to “soul search and decide to walk”.

 

[SECbbfan24]

Or, and here’s a thought, she had the audacity to ask for an extension as her contact is up next year and she wanted assurances to encourage recruits. The AD told her the same thing the Duke AD told JPM and Nikki decided to save face and step down vs. be fired or embarrassed.

No logical explanation could be given for her to wait this far into the offseason to “soul search and decide to walk”.

Well the reason they kept not wanting to fire her is because of buying her out but then she wanted extensions for recruiting. At some point something has to give.

10 years is way more than enough time to prove your worth.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Who can you get at this point? Lots of top talent already snapped up.

I think Holly Warlick is available.

 

[southie]

Cori Close, duh . . .

 

[Argonaut]

 

[Dwilliams02]

I'm happy for her!

 

[SECbbfan24]

Good for Nikki

 

[Argonaut]

Good for Nikki

I think this is actually a good move on her part. She has the right personality to be the face of the organization, but without the coaching responsibilities.

 

[southie]

Are they just giving away 'President' titles these days ?

 

[MSSportsGuy]

This is a good move for Fargas. She really seems like she is a good person but just hasn't been able to be successful at LSU. LSU has proven they will support the sport if they are successful. It will be interesting to see who gets the job.

 

[Dillon77]

Some boosters want the Florida Gulf Coast coach Karl Smesko. Not sure how good he would recruit down here.

He is only 50 years old.

He runs and is a proponent of fast-paced offense, which could bring in players and fans. Plus, he's got a player - Kierstan Bell - could very well take the flight across the Gulf. At some point, WNBA teams might like to see her against a P5 conference again.

Smesko has always relied on a fair amount of transfers to round out his team, so he'd be very comfortable with assembling a squad via mutliple means.

 

[militarydog]

This is a good move for Fargas. She really seems like she is a good person but just hasn't been able to be successful at LSU. LSU has proven they will support the sport if they are successful. It will be interesting to see who gets the job.

Based on the timing and where she landed it appears it was more her getting an opportunity and taking it. Best to her but tough situation for LSU with them now having to go get a coach this late in the game.

 

[TC22]

He runs and is a proponent of fast-paced offense, which could bring in players and fans. Plus, he's got a player - Kierstan Bell - could very well take the flight across the Gulf. At some point, WNBA teams might like to see her against a P5 conference again.

Smesko has always relied on a fair amount of transfers to round out his team, so he'd be very comfortable with assembling a squad via mutliple means.

Not sure Kierstan can transfer again. She was one of the ones that transferred this year and got immediate eligibility.

 

[Vowelguy]

Seems like the other top person still out there is the FSU assistant.

 

[southie]

Mark Campbell ?

Uh, no.

 

[SECbbfan24]

Based on the timing and where she landed it appears it was more her getting an opportunity and taking it. Best to her but tough situation for LSU with them now having to go get a coach this late in the game.

I think the writing was on the wall, she likely would have been gone next season and they didn't extend her contract. Good job opportunity to take at this time. Best for both parties IMO.

 

[DefenseBB]

I think this is actually a good move on her part. She has the right personality to be the face of the organization, but without the coaching responsibilities.

Well if you mean good for her that she got a job before she was fired, than yeah, I guess. But she is taking a massive pay cut. She was making $750k+ and the WNBA lost $12 million last reported in 2018. We know with their increased player costs in 2019 and COVID-19 last year, losses have to be higher.
Also, all reports on the WNBA that I have found have stated the best players make more money than all but the Commissioner. The latest salary for the high end player is $221,450.
So Nikki left $750k to something less than $200k.
Even if the WNBA makes leaps and bounds in revenue, the top players will get that money, not the “President” of a team.
Color me cynical on this move as a savvy career move by Nikki. More like “get a job while I can before I get fired” move.

 

[Argonaut]

Well if you mean good for her that she got a job before she was fired, than yeah, I guess. But she is taking a massive pay cut. She was making $750k+ and the WNBA lost $12 million last reported in 2018. We know with their increased player costs in 2019 and COVID-19 last year, losses have to be higher.
Also, all reports on the WNBA that I have found have stated the best players make more money than all but the Commissioner. The latest salary for the high end player is $221,450.
So Nikki left $750k to something less than $200k.
Even if the WNBA makes leaps and bounds in revenue, the top players will get that money, not the “President” of a team.
Color me cynical on this move as a savvy career move by Nikki. More like “get a job while I can before I get fired” move.

It's a good move in the sense that she wasn't progressing as a P5 head coach, and, like you said, that gravy train was likely going to be reaching its final destination.

And it's a good move when you think about the skills she obviously has and where they would be best utilized. Recruiting and coaching on an elite level wasn't panning out for her, so where can she go and still be an asset to women's basketball?

In the end, she'll get somewhere between $100k and $200k to do what she likes with people she likes in a successful organization in an administrative capacity. That pay cut won't put her in the poor house and I'm sure it feels like a huge weight has been lifted off of her shoulders.

So, yea, I think it's a good move on her part.

 

[militarydog]

I think the writing was on the wall, she likely would have been gone next season and they didn't extend her contract. Good job opportunity to take at this time. Best for both parties IMO.

How many years did she have in the Louisiana state retirement system?

 

[eebmg]

Stranger than fiction?

Former LSU women's basketball coach Nikki Fargas in talks to become Las Vegas Aces president

LSU women’s basketball coach Nikki Fargas is in negotiations to become Las Vegas Aces president, a person familiar with the discussions told The Associated Press.

www.theadvocate.com

 

[Geew1992]

She didn’t say no