Many posters are putting too much of the blame for our loss on KO and the coaching staff without providing any substantive analysis. Questioning whether KO is a good coach or even the right man for the job is nothing short of ridiculous. Some reality and facts clearly establish that KO is a bona fide basketball coach.
This is the man that was handpicked by Jim Calhoun to be his successor. That fact in itself should be enough to know KO is the right man for the job. Jim Calhoun one of the greatest bball coaches of all time, who coached KO and had him as an assistant coach on his staff would know more than all of us whether KO can coach and develop players. Lebron James, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant have raved about KO, Durant has been quoted saying Kevin Ollie "changed the whole culture in Oklahoma City." KO has spent 13 years in the NBA as a PG learning from the great basketball coaches such as Chuck Daly, Don Nelson, Larry Brown, and George Karl.
There are two major themes for those who put the blame on KO, that is 1) KO doesn't show enough fire when coaching during a game, 2) KO has failed at player development. On multiple occasions I have seen KO get after his players by both encouraging them and critiquing them. To expect KO to jump up and down the ENTIRE game yelling and screaming is ridiculous and has nothing to do with the ability of the players to make shots.
This notion that KO has failed to develop players is simply crazy. KO was the coach that helped develop Bazz into the star player that he was in 2014. KO was the coach that helped Daniel Hamilton go from a poor free throw shooter during his freshman year to the best free throw shooter in the conference last year. Jus this year I have witnessed the vast improvement that AG has made from the first exhibition game when he was taking a ton of bad shots to AG's game against Wagner where he made great decisions on when to shoot, when to drive, and when to dish, looking much improved from just a few weeks ago.
Different players develop at different rates. Some players simply never improve on a weakness, and its not necessarily out of lack of trying. If all players are able to improve on all their weaknesses then UConn and every other program would be churning out NBA level players every year. There are a few UConn players who clearly have limited games such as Brimah's rebounding and Purvis' left hand. For a 7fter not to be able to rebound is not on the coaching staff. There is only so much technique you can teach about rebounding but at the end its all about the player's desire to grab the boards. And for a guard to be unable to dribble with his left hand or finish layups that is also not on the coaching staff. There is only so much you can teach about making layups and dribbling with your weak hand, those fundamentals come down to the player.
There used to be a lot of criticism on KO's ability to recruit, much of that chatter has disappeared with our top 10 recruiting class and another solid start to our 2017 recruiting class. I have full faith that KO will get this ship right and this questioning of KO's coaching ability will also die down only to be replaced by posters nervous breakdowns when any rumor of KO to the NBA comes around. Its the same script for the Boneyard.
KO said from the beginning that this is a very talented but very young team. We will have our ups and downs through the season, but we will be ready come March. For those posters who think KO is not the right man for the job clearly state it in this thread so when KO has this team running on all cylinders we can remind you of how foolish you once were.
