Which Coach will be the next coach to achieve their 1st Final Four

[DefenseBB]

In the last 10 NCAAT, there have been 10 coaches who made their 1st Final Four (Close this year, Moore '24, Brooks '23, Barnes '21) so it seems logical to assess which coach will break through with their 1st Final Four

 

[DefenseBB]

I wonder if I limited it to one vote per BY member as I suspect @triaddukefan may be voting numerous times....

 

[jdote33]

Good thread. I voted for Kara Lawson but I wasn't even really thinking of next years team. I just think they have a young roster with a lot of talent. So over the next three years with Fournier, Skinner, Roberson, and I like Riley Nelson, I'm just optimistic. Also, kind of a controversial take but the ACC is a little down with the changes at ND and NC State. They won the ACC tournament last year, I expect them to be more dominant this year. Of course UNC is in the picture as well.
I don't know what's going on at Baylor. I like Nicki Collen, she's a good coach. But it doesn't seem like they've been getting top recruit's recently. I don't love their team next year but I could be wrong about them. I did like getting Scott via the portal.
Tennessee and Oklahoma are very interesting. Because they both added really good freshman classes to good teams. But the SEC is still a bear. Oklahoma was my second pick depending on how seamless the transition from hs to college is for Aaliyah Chavez. The problem is that their two best players are seniors and the aforementioned point that the sec is brutal.

 

[triaddukefan]

I wonder if I limited it to one vote per BY member as I suspect @triaddukefan may be voting numerous times....

 

[Vowelguy]

A year ago this list would’ve included Ivey and I’m sure she would’ve won handily.

 

[JellyBean]

I voted for "Other". I like Coach Lawson and what she is doing over at Duke and was leaning her way on voting. Then I thought about Oklahoma and what Coach Baranczky is building there and thought about voting for her. Then I caught an interview of Mark Campbell (TCU) and his coaching staff. They are building something special over at TCU and for him to get Olivia Miles to come to TCU over UNC, UConn (I don't know how serious that was), Maryland, and Rutgers (that would have been interesting), is huge. Speaks volumes about Coach Campbell and his coaching staff and their connection to their players. That is why I went "Other". Plus, there are a host of other coaches out there who could punch their programs 1st FF ticket. Coach Yo over at Ole Miss comes to mind. What she is doing over at Ole Miss is phenomenal!

 

[GoldenGophs]

Coach P at Minnesota. Nothing wrong with a little homer-ism right?

 

[WiseWillie]

No one mentioned what Shea Ralph has brought to Vandy. She would be high on my list.

 

[Geew1992]

I said other. I think the final 4 will in 2027 will see USC and JuJu Watkins

 

[triaddukefan]

I said other. I think the final 4 will in 2027 will see USC and JuJu Watkins

Their coach Gotlieb made the final 4 in 2013 coaching Cal.

Now you can change your vote to Lawson

 

[Geew1992]

Their coach Gotlieb made the final 4 in 2013 coaching Cal.

Now you can change your vote to Lawson

Ahhh... I did not know that... Eh.... Lawson needs to learn some offense before I do that

 

[triaddukefan]

Ahhh... I did not know that... Eh.... Lawson needs to learn some offense before I do that

Any chance that you are a fan of Cheerwine, Krispy Kreme, and Newport cigarettes?

 

[CAbballfan2]

Ahhh... I did not know that... Eh.... Lawson needs to learn some offense before I do that

The most hilarious thing about the whole “Kara doesn’t know how to run an offense” is that she runs a pro style offense. An offense that requires a pretty high basketball IQ.

And you wanna know what the biggest complaint of WNBA coaches and veteran players about rookies……”they can’t remember plays….they don’t understand pro actions”

Yeah bc majority of coaches run simple plays/actions (and that’s not a bad thing) The average fan won’t see that tho. But you talk to any higher level coach…they understand the exact offense Kara is running.

 

[Vowelguy]

No one mentioned what Shea Ralph has brought to Vandy. She would be high on my list.

It is rare and difficult for a non-top 16 seed to make the F4. I dont see Vandy there yet, esp without Pierre.

 

[Geew1992]

The most hilarious thing about the whole “Kara doesn’t know how to run an offense” is that she runs a pro style offense. An offense that requires a pretty high basketball IQ.

And you wanna know what the biggest complaint of WNBA coaches and veteran players about rookies……”they can’t remember plays….they don’t understand pro actions”

Yeah bc majority of coaches run simple plays/actions (and that’s not a bad thing) The average fan won’t see that tho. But you talk to any higher level coach…they understand the exact offense Kara is running.

Well then she doesn't have the players for that offense. The games I watched were offensively painful!

 

[CAbballfan2]

Well then she doesn't have the players for that offense. The games I watched were offensively painful!

I would say she hasn’t had a good point yet. I think her offense will look better with Emilee Skinner’s skill set.

 

[visitingcock]

Any chance that you are a fan of Cheerwine, Krispy Kreme, and Newport cigarettes?

all at once?

My glucose level popped out of my eyeballs just reading Cheerwine and Krispy Kreem in the same sentence.

 

[Centerstream]

all at once?

My glucose level popped out of my eyeballs just reading Cheerwine and Krispy Kreem in the same sentence.

Relax a little...Cheerwine has a Zero Sugar version. Pretty tasty.

 

[Blue Huskie]

Of course those here in UCONN Country would love to see Shea but I don't know if she will get there before Kara.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

The most hilarious thing about the whole “Kara doesn’t know how to run an offense” is that she runs a pro style offense. An offense that requires a pretty high basketball IQ.

And you wanna know what the biggest complaint of WNBA coaches and veteran players about rookies……”they can’t remember plays….they don’t understand pro actions”

Yeah bc majority of coaches run simple plays/actions (and that’s not a bad thing) The average fan won’t see that tho. But you talk to any higher level coach…they understand the exact offense Kara is running.

Yes. Vivian Stringer comes to mind as another coach well respected for her development of players with understanding, remembering plays, etc. And of course both sides of the ball, for that matter.

While she didn't have offensive power-houses, you only need to look at the long careers of Rutgers players that made the WNBA - Pondexter, Newton, Carson, Sutton-Brown, Prince, Copper, Laney, Wheeler et al.

 

[GoChips20]

I would vote Lawson as well although the whole of Duke’s offense seems to be consistently less than its individual parts. Excellent defensive coach and seems to have built a great competitive culture, though.

 

[JellyBean]

Coach P at Minnesota. Nothing wrong with a little homer-ism right?

So true. We got something special brewing here in Minnesota.