Matthew Mitchell of Kentucky reflects on his program's trajectory ...

[Plebe]

... including an interesting bit on how two consecutive Elite 8 losses to UConn led, indirectly, to the player exodus crisis:

In 2015-2016, seven players left the program by the end of the season. What were you thinking after each player left? What, if anything, did you change after the dust had settled? What did you learn from that experience?

We lost to UConn twice in the Elite 8, and I got a little obsessed with trying to figure out what was wrong. What was wrong was that UConn was really good, and a lot better than us at the time. I went on a journey of trying to find one missing ingredient, which led to a series of decisions that created the spot we were in. Every time a kid left I was thinking that I always had the belief that we had people who wanted to be at Kentucky. The first two left and I figured they gave it their best and it was time to move on. I thought it was a positive, but after seven (players left) and the program was really close to melting down, I took a look at myself.​

Coach’s Chair: Matthew Mitchell, University of Kentucky

 

[EricLA]

... including an interesting bit on how two consecutive Elite 8 losses to UConn led, indirectly, to the player exodus crisis:

In 2015-2016, seven players left the program by the end of the season. What were you thinking after each player left? What, if anything, did you change after the dust had settled? What did you learn from that experience?

We lost to UConn twice in the Elite 8, and I got a little obsessed with trying to figure out what was wrong. What was wrong was that UConn was really good, and a lot better than us at the time. I went on a journey of trying to find one missing ingredient, which led to a series of decisions that created the spot we were in. Every time a kid left I was thinking that I always had the belief that we had people who wanted to be at Kentucky. The first two left and I figured they gave it their best and it was time to move on. I thought it was a positive, but after seven (players left) and the program was really close to melting down, I took a look at myself.​

Coach’s Chair: Matthew Mitchell, University of Kentucky

I liked how he continued with the self reflection and talked about how he felt he needed to change. Not sure if the last sentence is throwing his former assistants under the bus, or just explanation/clarification/facts. Either way, kudos to him for at least engaging and answering...

"I decided I needed to improve myself and be intentional with all my relationships, and to be more mindful of those relationships. I had to find a way to strike a balance between being demanding and being approachable, so I began trying to be more engaging, and to engage at a more effective level. Obviously, if seven players wanted to leave, I wasn’t doing a stellar job. Fortunately I had a couple assistant coaches who decided to leave also, and I was able to hire the staff that I have now. "

 

[UcMiami]

We rag on Mitchell and JPM at Duke a lot in this board, some of it with reason. But they both had programs in meltdown mode a few years ago and did really good work to get them back on track and winning. That is not a small feat when you have in effect lost the locker room.

 

[cbraarj]

Tamika Williams was one of the coaches that left.

 

[BroadwayVa]

We rag on Mitchell and JPM at Duke a lot in this board, some of it with reason. But they both had programs in meltdown mode a few years ago and did really good work to get them back on track and winning. That is not a small feat when you have in effect lost the locker room.

A

All you say is true; there is another side: Self Preservation, keep the nice job, the great money---if they were fired for the incompetence shown what would be their next job?
We live in world of flash news--and faux confessions and volumes of contrite -ness, the mode of recovery ---make a statement of contrite-ness--then keep on chugging.
Yes, I'm a skeptic .

 

[drweo]

One thing good about his reply about the mass exodus of players from his program: He didnt put it on them.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

This smacks of revisionist history to me, save for this one nugget of truth; he was the reason so many coaches (he had years of revolving door assistants) and players left. Kentucky's program was not about the players for Mitchell; it was all about him and his drive to the top. He tried to lean on assistants to create an offense he could not, yet he interfered with what they tried to accomplish. The year before the debacle he had one of the most seasoned and respected assistants in college ball join the staff and he departed at the end of that year. Mitchell tried to burn him and he burned Mitchell back and it boiled down to Mitchell not doing his job and not tolerating help from his assistants. he got too full of himself and lost his way.

 

[Rocket009]

A

All you say is true; there is another side: Self Preservation, keep the nice job, the great money---if they were fired for the incompetence shown what would be their next job?
We live in world of flash news--and faux confessions and volumes of contrite -ness, the mode of recovery ---make a statement of contrite-ness--then keep on chugging.
Yes, I'm a skeptic .

Still too early in the season to see, but both Kentucky and Duke have a lot to prove this year. I have a feeling that it may end up being more of the same as far as wins and losses go. I could see them both being perennial "above average but not great" teams with Duke being slightly better than Kentucky. I think that Mitchell is more likely to revert to his normal behavior sooner than JPM since he is a bit of a one trick pony - he wins games when we can force turn overs and looses them when the opposition handles the Kentucky pressure game.

JPM can probably stay in the "we all love each other" zone until she has a couple of consecutive bad losses.

 

[Bigboote]

Another thing I love about women's basketball vs. men's. Mitchell spent a couple of paragraphs boasting about the team's academic performance and academic goals. He spent more on character and (Geno's mentioned this, too) his players possibly being too nice.

I really enjoyed reading this, and it's given me a new perspective on Matthew Mitchell. Another thing I love about the Boneyard is that people post respectful articles about other teams.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

This smacks of revisionist history to me, save for this one nugget of truth; he was the reason so many coaches (he had years of revolving door assistants) and players left. Kentucky's program was not about the players for Mitchell; it was all about him and his drive to the top. He tried to lean on assistants to create an offense he could not, yet he interfered with what they tried to accomplish. The year before the debacle he had one of the most seasoned and respected assistants in college ball join the staff and he departed at the end of that year. Mitchell tried to burn him and he burned Mitchell back and it boiled down to Mitchell not doing his job and not tolerating help from his assistants. he got too full of himself and lost his way.

Serious, possibly rhetorical, question: How can a coach expect to get to the top if his program is NOT about the players? Ditto for assistants.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Serious, possibly rhetorical, question: How can a coach expect to get to the top if his program is NOT about the players? Ditto for assistants.

Exactly right. That's why I say Mitchell lost his way in coaching somewhere along the way. He got to feeling really entitled and didn't do the work. You don't see Kentucky contending for top recruits very much. This may be one instance where people have paid attention. He is in a hot bed for talent and will get a number of good young athletes, but his wave has crested. He's played a cupcake schedule, but will take on Baylor on the 30th. Baylor played and lost that UCLA game and ran back to the cupcake division for solace. Going to be an interesting game.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Serious, possibly rhetorical, question: How can a coach expect to get to the top if his program is NOT about the players? Ditto for assistants.

Your question : How does a coach expect-----? Expectations and reality isn't always acknowledged by some coaches. Assistants are paid and have (real) choice to leave or Stay. Players don't get paid, even considering the sports scholarship and the choices are harder.