OT: Billy Donovan might replace Brooks as OKC coach

[UConn9604]

I think Ollie's is a 5 million buyout through May of this year. Then goes to 4 million.

But yeah huge difference in buyout between Donovan and Ollie. Plus whispers of Donovan wanting to go to the NBA before this story even broke have me thinking he will be the leading candidate.

This is true, and it also drops to $1 million one year after Susan or Warde leaves.

 

[8893]

This is true, and it also drops to $1 million one year after Susan or Warde leaves.

It also drops to $1M next June if he leaves for an NBA job.

 

[amory]

I welcome the Thunder offering the job to KO. Sooner or later KO is going to be offered an attractive NBA job, and he's either going to take it or leave it. We may as well find out if he's here for the long haul or not.

With the divorce, the rough season for the Huskies, and the fact that it's the Thunder knocking on his door, if we can keep KO this offseason he's basically here for good.

 

[James]

More smoke about Donovan to the NBA in this article about Denver's head coaching position, and no mention of Ollie: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/source...ith-several-candidates-on-list-182544857.html

Too late to put the fire out, somebody started a whole new thread debating the pros of cons of ollie leaving . haha

 

[Dogbreath2U]

I don't believe KO would break his contract/commitment to UConn for pretty much any reason, at least not until the conclusion of his deal. OKC with KD there one more year would not seem to me to constitute a "once in a lifetime opportunity" that might sway even a dedicated person (like Stevens to the Celtics). KO loves his school and he has become a major voice of UConn. I just can't see it.

 

[J187Money]

This is true, and it also drops to $1 million one year after Susan or Warde leaves.

Freescooter would have negotiated it the other way. That the buyout goes up if either of them leave.

 

[Kitaman]

I doubt Ollie would leave UConn (especially after this past season) to go to OKC when there is a strong possibility of KD leaving for Washington in free agency.

In this world there are no certainties. We know Ollie from a distance but him taking that job is not unthinkable so to speak. I will be biting my fingernails once Brooks is fired.

Just sayin. . . . . . .

 

[UCbcm]

In this world there are no certainties. We know Ollie from a distance but him taking that job is not unthinkable so to speak. I will be biting my fingernails once Brooks is fired.

Just sayin. . . . . . .

Where in that post did I say anything definite, or in your words "certain", about Ollie staying or going?

 

[Kitaman]

Where in that post did I say anything definite, or in your words "certain", about Ollie staying or going?

You didn't. It was a general comment that I happened to use your post as a reply. Basically I just stop doubting anyone's potential actions/decisions as I've been surprised so many times.

Its all good.

 

[HistoryMajor]

FWIW, I think KO will stay with UCONN as long as he feels UCONN is one of the Big Dogs. If he senses we are in Conf realignment purgatory forever and our star is diminishing, he will circulate his resume. That said, where does KO think we are right now? I, of course, have no idea. He almost certainly has more info from Warde, Susan, etc than we do. If he leaves, that would be a very bad outcome. A bad outcome NOT only because we lost KO, but primarily a bad outcome because IMO, he will be leaving because he thinks UCONN is the wrong horse to ride for his career.

 

[Sportsman5]

I wouldn't blame the lack of closing on the recruiting front on negative recruiting from opposing coaches of KO and the NBA...that's a cop out. There is negative recruiting points for almost any program that coaches have to answer to and deal with.

Legitimate rumors of an NBA GM having interest to hire ollie and it making sense in many ways for ollie to leave is the most impactful negative recruiting I can think of. I would be concerned if I was a recruit and I'm sure the parents of recruits are as well. The AAC is the biggest negative impact on recruiting, but back to back years of rumors of ollie to the NBA is the second biggest. If you disagree, then what are the top 2 reasons hindering recruiting? and saying something extremely vague and undefinable like the staff can't "close" is not an option.

 

[UConn9604]

Legitimate rumors of an NBA GM having interest to hire ollie and it making sense in many ways for ollie to leave is the most impactful negative recruiting I can think of. I would be concerned if I was a recruit and I'm sure the parents of recruits are as well. The AAC is the biggest negative impact on recruiting, but back to back years of rumors of ollie to the NBA is the second biggest. If you disagree, then what are the top 2 reasons hindering recruiting? and saying something extremely vague and undefinable like the staff can't "close" is not an option.

Here's my take on this. Like all things in college athletics, talking heads on blogs or Twitter on TV may know more about the 119 other football schools or the 319 other basketball schools, but none of them knows more about OUR school than probably 75-95% of the posters on this Board.

With that in mind, given the bend in Ollie's arc last year, which was both anticipated and justifiable, and his significant buyout at least through next summer, I don't think he's going anywhere this year or next. Sure, he's got some family issues that he is dealing with, but his daughter is in high school here, and his son is going to college 100 miles away. I can't see him uprooting and moving to Oklahoma with all of this up in the air.

The man is making $3 million to coach at his alma mater, and one of the best programs in the game. It's going to take a lot for him to leave that, and I don't think this is the time for it.

But, that's just my opinion.

 

[djct1999]

The trend seems be professional coaches are transferring back to the college game. Unless you are given full authority over personnel, it doesn't make sense to jump to NBA for a seemingly lateral move. Right now, OKC for Ollie is not the answer.

 

[Silk31]

The trend seems be professional coaches are transferring back to the college game. Unless you are given full authority over personnel, it doesn't make sense to jump to NBA for a seemingly lateral move. Right now, OKC for Ollie is not the answer.

I can see why OKC would have serious interest in KO, Durant has openly endorsed him and he has strong ties to Presti and the front office. The real situation is that Durant is coming off a lost year with a serious foot injury and only has one year left on his contract. The dream situation of coaching KD in his prime may not be as it seems and while Westbrook is a stud they missed the playoffs this season despite him being a triple double machine and winning the scoring title.

If KO views that situation as better than being his alma mater's HC for as long as he wants it (in essence) then what can we do about it?...the NBA can offer more money but I don't think that is what KO is all about. He won't be able to coach young men on and off the court at the NBA level and that right now seems to be what he enjoys doing the most

 

[Sportsman5]

Here's my take on this. Like all things in college athletics, talking heads on blogs or Twitter on TV may know more about the 119 other football schools or the 319 other basketball schools, but none of them knows more about OUR school than probably 75-95% of the posters on this Board.

With that in mind, given the bend in Ollie's arc last year, which was both anticipated and justifiable, and his significant buyout at least through next summer, I don't think he's going anywhere this year or next. Sure, he's got some family issues that he is dealing with, but his daughter is in high school here, and his son is going to college 100 miles away. I can't see him uprooting and moving to Oklahoma with all of this up in the air.

The man is making $3 million to coach at his alma mater, and one of the best programs in the game. It's going to take a lot for him to leave that, and I don't think this is the time for it.

But, that's just my opinion.

If you read my original post, then you will see that I agree with you.

My second post wasn't my opinion on what I think is a rational and fair. I'm saying that other coaches will use it against uconn. Recruits and their families don't know the details well enough to make the best judgement. Therefore, the NBA rumors and the ammo for negative recruiting that it gives other coaches will hurt uconn recruiting because some top recruits will be scared off. It may only be say 25-30%, but that would help explain why we only have 2 top recruits coming in for this year and not 3 even though we are coming off a national championship with a brand new state of the art practice facility and are a top 5 program in college basketball.

 

[Silk31]

KO had just signed a long term extension and the NBA rumors were behind him until now so the idea of that hindering us much in terms of the short term recruiting on the heels of a NC doesn't really hold all that much weight