Marquette Hiring Shaka Smart

[gampelcrazies]

How wrong can @freescooter be.

 

[superjohn]

Plus...Dwayne Wade.

And Jimmy Buckets.

 

[billybud]

How wrong can @freescooter be.

Are you suggesting there is a limit ?

 

[Big East Fa]

Why?

Pay is well.
Budget/Resources
State of the art new arena. Fiserv Forum
Great attendance

 

[Big East Fa]

 

[MexicoHusky]

WOW

This is good for the league. Frankly it's shocking. Can't help but wonder if TX wanted him gone and was going to fire him.

 

[UConnJim]

Texas made one final 4 since the NCAA expanded to 64 teams, actually since before the field expanded to 16 teams, that's 74 years. It's just not a place people win at. It's a great hire, Hurley was a great hire for UConn.

Totally disagree about Texas. Look at these stats:

All time wins: 17th
NCAA appearances: T11th
NBA first round picks: 16th

Smart replaced Rick Barnes who went to the NCAA 16 out of 17 years, had a 0.691 winning %, made 1 Final Four, 2 Elite 8s and 2 Sweet 16s. Texas replaced Barnes with Smart in hopes of getting Texas to the next level.

Smart recruited really well at Texas with generally top 20 classes each year and he averaged 3 top 125 recruits per year. Bottom line is Smart didn’t get it done at Texas with top talent and deep financial resources. He certainly didn’t match Barnes’ performance at Texas.

 

[billybud]

When you don't win a single tournament game in your tenure...it is understandable that the seat was very, very warm.

 

[Waquoit]

Seems like DJ Carton went there specifically to play for Wojo so I wouldn’t be surprised if he left.

I have no idea but if the guy is enjoying the school, going from Wojo to Smart doesn't seem like a huge adjustment.

 

[Fishy]

Really smart move by, well, Smart.

The key to coaching hoop at Texas is to cash checks and then get to a good gig before they fire you and repeat the cycle.

 

[Drew]

Really smart move by, well, Smart.

The key to coaching any sport at Texas is to cash checks and then get to a good gig before they fire you and repeat the cycle.

FIFY

 

[superjohn]

Totally disagree about Texas. Look at these stats:

All time wins: 17th
NCAA appearances: T11th
NBA first round picks: 16th

Smart replaced Rick Barnes who went to the NCAA 16 out of 17 years, had a 0.691 winning %, made 1 Final Four, 2 Elite 8s and 2 Sweet 16s. Texas replaced Barnes with Smart in hopes of getting Texas to the next level.

Smart recruited really well at Texas with generally top 20 classes each year and he averaged 3 top 125 recruits per year. Bottom line is Smart didn’t get it done at Texas with top talent and deep financial resources. He certainly didn’t match Barnes’ performance at Texas.

They have the most money in college sports and they haven't won anything. The one time they made a final four in the last 74 years was when they played their tournament games 1 hour away from campus leading up to the final 4.

 

[Hoophound]

Texas has everything you need to win National Championships, yet they don’t. It’s a tough job, they are never happy and they have no patience. I bet Shaka makes a Final Four at Marquette within 4 years.

 

[Watchdog]

Hmmm. I wonder why Texas would have an issue with Shaka...... smart. Hmmmmmm. Can’t put my finger on it.

Read Billion Dollar Ball and forget the innuendoes.

With all the money they generate from sports they like to win and ZERO tournament wins has a way of hustling people out the door.

 

[whosurdaddy2720]

Texas has everything you need to win National Championships, yet they don’t. It’s a tough job, they are never happy and they have no patience. I bet Shaka makes a Final Four at Marquette within 4 years.

Hmmm easy now

 

[zls44]

If Texas gets Beard, this works out perfectly for all parties, but ESPECIALLY Shaka.

Would note that he and Dan Hurley have the same number of NCAAT wins since VCU went to the FF.

 

[Hoophound]

Hmmm easy now

He’s overdue. I think he’ll do really, really well at Marquette.

 

[BlueDogs]

Super get for Marquette.

 

[rip7774]

So Great to be in the Big East! No way this happens in the AAC.

 

[DMIL]

WOW

He was on his way to getting fired. Just look at all the first round exits the last 5 years and longer. They have underperformed based on the talent they consistently recruit and he hasn’t been able to take them to the next level with B12 or NCAA tournament runs. This is a good hire I think for Marquette and the Big East. That Texas gig for football, baseball and basketball is too good for mediocre outcomes year over year. They have everything a coach can dream of. The environment is a much better fit for Shaka and I think he will thrive there.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Can someone explain to me why if Shaka had good recruiting classes but never won an NCAA tourney game that is B/c it’s hard to win at Texas?! As far as I know ncaa games are played on neutral courts and teams with better players have an advantage.

TX may not be all about basketball, but that’s not determinative of NC2A success. Shaka is a name coach so good to have him in BE. But to this point he’s proven not to be the wonderkind Brad Stevens adjacent coaching whiz that everyone thought he was when VCU made the final four.

 

[Kolumbo]

I think we understate the amount of interest in basketball in Texas. Right now Baylor and Houston are in the elite 8. I think there are 7 Texas programs in the P5 plus AAC. 3 NBA teams. Add in Oklahoma and there is a lot of basketball to be watched in that area. Texas should be top 2 in that conference every year with the $$$$$ resources it has.

 

[Dogdeacon]

I think we understate the amount of interest in basketball in Texas. Right now Baylor and Houston are in the elite 8. I think there are 7 Texas programs in the P5 plus AAC. 3 NBA teams. Add in Oklahoma and there is a lot of basketball to be watched in that area. Texas should be top 2 in that conference every year with the $$$$$ resources it has.

Plus Austin is as close to diverse as you’ll find in Tx.

 

[TheChamps990411]

WOW

When i read the title of this thread i thought it was a hypothetical suggestion. Im shocked.

 

[UConnJim]

One thing that is overlooked about Smart’s time at VCU is his assistant coaches. The five main assistants during his time at VCU are now all head coaches. His first coaching staff at VCU included Will Wade (LSU HC), Mike Rhoads (VCU HC), and Mike Jones (Radford HC). When Jones left, Jamian Christian (George Washington HC) was hired. When Christian left, Jeremy Ballard (FIU HC) was hired.