Matrim55 calls it: Final assistant Kenya Hunter to UConn!!

[Matrim55]

Have heard from a few folks it'll be Kenya Hunter from Nebraska. He's from NoVa, was instrumental in building those good Georgetown teams last decade, and seems to fit the bill for what we need.

Good hire if it's actually him.

EDIT: And it looks like it's spilling out from Nebraska's side of things already:

 

[husky429]

He's a post player coach. Credited with developing monroe and hibbert. GREAT move if this hire is happening. This guy has coached all over the place.

Worked at georgetown for years--there's the DMV connection we need after chill left

 

[Phoenixhusky]

Looks like another good recruiter and experience coaching wings and bigs.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Kenya Hunter, Nebraska bio

 

[Minicoop69]

So when they are writing the job qualifications are these guys the ones in mind. I mean I don't think I saw something like being able to recruit DMV was mandatory. Or does the staff wait to see who applies and then see which one can receipt a certain area?

 

[intlzncster]

He's a post player coach. Credited with developing monroe and hibbert. GREAT move if this hire is happening. This guy has coached all over the place.

Worked at georgetown for years--there's the DMV connection we need after chill left

Looks like Carlton and crew aren't going anywhere. They've gotta be stoked about this if true.

Funniest part is he was a PG in college. Everybody seems to think you need to be a former post to coach bigs. Just not true.

He coaches wing players too.

 

[intlzncster]

So when they are writing the job qualifications are these guys the ones in mind. I mean I don't think I saw something like being able to recruit DMV was mandatory. Or does the staff wait to see who applies and then see which one can receipt a certain area?

Probably had a few names in mind with that particular quality. Danny wanted that specifically. One of his first proclamations was to lock down the North Eastern seaboard recruiting wise.

It's one of the big reasons he wanted Cox too. That's his area.

 

[6xChamps]

For what it’s worth, Nebraska twitter/forums are acting like this is a huge loss for them, which would obviously be good for us if true

 

[Stainmaster]

He would be a great addition to the staff, but I'd hold up on the victory lap:

 

[ZenConn]

Funniest part is he was a PG in college. Everybody seems to think you need to be a former post to coach bigs. Just not true.

He coaches wing players too.

Our bigs could have learned a thing or two from Sam Cassell, who in my mind, had one of the best post and midrange games for a PG. His game wasn't based on speed and slashing ability but more on savy and posting up smaller guards.

 

[Mike Honcho]

He would be a great addition to the staff, but I'd hold up on the victory lap:

 

[temery]

there's the DMV connection we need after chill left

Can he fix scooter infractions?

 

[David 76]

Do we pay assistant coaches better than average?
I'm kind of surprised we have been /might be able to lure these guys from big conferences.

 

[Dabutlerdidit]

Do we pay assistant coaches better than average?
I'm kind of surprised we have been /might be able to lure these guys from big conferences.

UConn brand > Minnesota + Nebraska

 

[Hoophound]

We pay pretty well but there are other factors. We have a great location for recruiting, a huge brand name and a hot new coach. As an assistant you have to be careful who you hitch your wagon to. Most people expect Hurley to succeed. That makes a move to UConn a good move right now.

The assistants can reasonably expect:
1. A job for the next 4-5 years minimum.
2. Reasonable travel with short flights and or drives to see the majority of prospects.
3. Resources and facilities
4. Prestige
5. Future demand after working for a winning coach at a big name program.

 

[David 76]

UConn brand > Minnesota + Nebraska

Agree. But you have to minus the current situation and the assistants/associate coaches who just lost their jobs after a year or two.

 

[tcf15]

Assistant Men's Basketball Coach at the University of Nebraska Kenya Hunter speaks at the Thunder Coaches Clinic.

 

[selles]

Chief probably aroused now too.

So is Striper, this has to put us back in the mix for Dave Wingett right?

 

[Son of Robert]

Fabulous. Kenya Hunter sounds like just the guy.

Excellent coach with the versatility to do it all. Proven track record for recruiting and developing players. Has successfully coached guards, wings, and post players. I really think we need a stand out bigs coach in order to better recruit top tier post players. This is huge.

Hibbert was a project when he first started playing at GTown, and so much work must have been put in to making himself a successful post player. Great coaching and lots of hard work.

I see our frontcourt players really benefiting from this hire. Carlton and Cobb could both be so good in the low post, Cobb with the body of Dejuan Blair from Pitt, who was such a force, and Carlton if he came up a level in skills and strength would be really good. More muscle on both Whaley and Polley with good coaching and development, Kwintin Williams might turn into a player, plus we may add a new recruit or transfer. We could be pretty solid down low.

Hope he lands here.

 

[Rico444]

Sounds like a great hire if it goes through. This also coincides with Borges' (I think it was Borges?) tweet about our next assistant coaching target being in Big Ten country.

 

[Son of Robert]

We pay pretty well but there are other factors. We have a great location for recruiting, a huge brand name and a hot new coach. As an assistant you have to be careful who you hitch your wagon to. Most people expect Hurley to succeed. That makes a move to UConn a good move right now.

The assistants can reasonably expect:
1. A job for the next 4-5 years minimum.
2. Reasonable travel with short flights and or drives to see the majority of prospects.
3. Resources and facilities
4. Prestige
5. Future demand after working for a winning coach at a big name program.

Great post Hoophound.

 

[mauconnfan]

Fabulous. Kenya Hunter sounds like just the guy.

Excellent coach with the versatility to do it all. Proven track record for recruiting and developing players. Has successfully coached guards, wings, and post players. I really think we need a stand out bigs coach in order to better recruit top tier post players. This is huge.
Hibbert was a project when he first started playing at GTown, and so much work must have been put in to making himself a successful post player. Great coaching and lots of hard work.

Hope he lands here.

The one thing of interest he mentioned, the coaches only have a certain amount of time to work with these kids legally off season and when they have real practices they need to be ready to perform basically. The key as he stated is to work the plan he or other coaches give you to work to get better YOURSELF. Guessing we will be recruiting kids with better work ethics and commitment than we have seen for that last couple of years. And the ones who are still here will be working their games themselves in the offseason as instructed if they want to get on the floor. I like this guy,, hope they land him.

 

[cordarone]

Danny Hurley > Tim Miles + Richard Pitino

 

[gtcam]

UConn needs a bigs coach =badly
If this guy is a bigs coach and has had some success then great. Not very familiar with Nebraska Mens Basketball but do remember that they got a forward from Georgetown who played fairly well for them this year (Copeland?). Other than that not familiar with any bigs/4 or 3 that has made a big splash in a while. He's been at Xavier and G'town so has some pedigree
Could be a good get for UConn.

 

[djct1999]

UConn needs a bigs coach =badly
If this guy is a bigs coach and has had some success then great. Not very familiar with Nebraska Mens Basketball but do remember that they got a forward from Georgetown who played fairly well for them this year (Copeland?). Other than that not familiar with any bigs/4 or 3 that has made a big splash in a while. He's been at Xavier and G'town so has some pedigree
Could be a good get for UConn.

Anyone who has a coached a big is an upgrade from what we had because, you know, KO had to go.