Michigan hires Philadelphia Belles coach

[John Glass]

so who is in this package deal ?

 

[Hoopsking]

Congrats to my good buddy Matt Bamford on his appointment as the new assistant coach of Michigan. He did a phenominal job with his Nike Belles 15U team in winning Boo Willaims 15U, USJN Hershey, USJN DC Platinum and Nike Nationals 15U. Well deserved. The Belles are a great program that continue to produce excellent coaches. Btw, that 15U team is stacked!

 

[Wbbfan1]

Obviously saw the advantage that OSU received when they hired Kelsey Mitchell's father and hoping it repeats.

 

[Raoul]

Congrats to my good buddy Matt Bamford on his appointment as the new assistant coach of Michigan. He did a phenominal job with his Nike Belles 15U team in winning Boo Willaims 15U, USJN Hershey, USJN DC Platinum and Nike Nationals 15U. Well deserved. The Belles are a great program that continue to produce excellent coaches. Btw, that 15U team is stacked!

So it sounds like Michigan is getting a very good girls basketball coach, not a boys coach who happens to be the father of an elite women's basketball prospect. Comparisons with what happened down in Ohio are inapt.

I'm curious as to who Bamford is replacing, although I have a good guess.

 

[Blakeon18]

Hoopsking.....Got any names for us from the 15U squad?

 

[John Glass]

So it sounds like Michigan is getting a very good girls basketball coach, not a boys coach who happens to be the father of an elite women's basketball prospect. Comparisons with what happened down in Ohio are inapt.

I'm curious as to who Bamford is replacing, although I have a good guess.

Bamford may be an outstanding coach, however a jump from AAU to D1 is extremely rare. The primary role of some assistants in college is recruiting, and I think it is safe to say that could be his.

 

[Icebear]

Bamford may be an outstanding coach, however a jump from AAU to D1 is extremely rare. The primary role of some assistants in college is recruiting, and I think it is safe to say that could be his.

Not nearly as rare as it seemed to be in the past.

 

[Raoul]

Bamford may be an outstanding coach, however a jump from AAU to D1 is extremely rare. The primary role of some assistants in college is recruiting, and I think it is safe to say that could be his.

I'm sure his recruiting connections are a key reason for him being hired. But the Michigan staff already had assistants (and a head coach) with solid connections in various parts of the country—including the East. So I don't think this is just about recruiting (and it certainly isn't about ensuring that you'll land a top 5 prospect, which is all OSU's hiring of Mark Mitchell was about). It's a bit difficult to judge this hiring without knowing who he's replacing on the staff, and that hasn't been announced yet—officially or unofficially.

 

[CBus13]

I'm sure his recruiting connections are a key reason for him being hired. But the Michigan staff already had assistants (and a head coach) with solid connections in various parts of the country—including the East. So I don't think this is just about recruiting (and it certainly isn't about ensuring that you'll land a top 5 prospect, which is all OSU's hiring of Mark Mitchell was about). It's a bit difficult to judge this hiring without knowing who he's replacing on the staff, and that hasn't been announced yet—officially or unofficially.

I'm pretty sure Mark Mitchell helped coach All-Ohio girls team from 2011-2013. So in addition to his head coaching position at Taft High school for the boys team he has worked with girls. Not saying Ohio State didn't have ulterior motives with this hiring but at least they hired someone who has coaching experience, 20 years of it at that, and put him in a coaching position. So in a way it is very similar to what Michigan is doing minus Bramford not having a top 5 prospect. They both have deep connections into young talent in the midwest and will help with recruiting.

 

[Wbbfan1]

My comment in regards Bamford hiring being similar to OSU hiring is this. IMHO Bamford's hiring is to take advantage of his AAU contacts. Its no difference then what Baylor, Kentucky, Texas and others have done in hiring asst coaches who were/are affiliated with elite AAU Girls Basketball programs. We should probably add Miss who hired Matt Insell as their head coach. More programs will continue with this trend. The question is, will they be short term gains or are they really hiring effective Asst Coaches that will have a long term impact and will eventually end up as a Head Coach. Time will tell.

 

[Hoopsking]

Hoopsking.....Got any names for us from the 15U squad?

Won't name the entire team but will name a few. Taylor Murry (Made USA team), Brionna Jones, Munger, Christina, Felicia 6'8", etc.

 

[Raoul]

Just to set the record straight, Matt Bamford is not being hired as an assistant coach at Michigan. They posted a job opening earlier this summer for a new position—"assistant to the head coach"—and that's what he's being hired as. This article says he was originally slated to be a grad assistant at Saint Joseph's University this season before he applied for and won the Michigan job. He gives a rundown of his duties in the article:

“My primary role will be recruiting but one of the major reasons I took this is I’ll be able to get my feet wet in some different categories,” said Bamford, who played basketball one year for the Bucks under coach Adam Sherman. “I’ll be involved in video and scoring films.
“It’s a full-time gig. They just created the position. I’ll be able to sit on the bench (during games). I’ll be doing something, charting something. It’s a good opportunity. I’ll also get to do some things administrative.”

 

[Phil]

A common title for this position is director of basketball operations, but they already have one, Amy Mulligan . Another common title, especially if video is involved, is video coordinator, but they already have one, Drew Markowitz.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Hoopsking.....Got any names for us from the 15U squad?

Bored Blake? Or was that a dig?

 

[Raoul]

A common title for this position is director of basketball operations, but they already have one, Amy Mulligan . Another common title, especially if video is involved, is video coordinator, but they already have one, Drew Markowitz.

What's your point? Being a Michigan fan, I'm well aware of who's on their staff. As I said, this is a new position.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

What's your point? Being a Michigan fan, I'm well aware of who's on their staff. As I said, this is a new position.

I think he was just clarifying. Rutgers has someone in the position as well, Betsy Yonkman, who was at one time an Assistant Coach, left, and came back to be Assistant to the Head Coach. We have a DBO - Michelle Edwards, and have generally had (less advertised) video coordinators.

 

[Phil]

What's your point? Being a Michigan fan, I'm well aware of who's on their staff. As I said, this is a new position.

I wasn't responding to you specifically. I was making some general observations.

 

[ciarlante]

The 15 team never played up in any of the major tourneys..nor did their 15 players..most clubs move their best talent up to the highest levels..not sure I would say the team is "stacked"..Murray probably biggest draw.. Jones a distant second..the rest are in the low BCS/high mid major class