Who is the next coach to win their 1st title?

[bballnut90]

Cori Close is the first newbie coach to win a title since Dawn joined the winner's circle in 2017. Who joins it next?

 

[oldhusky]

This is an interesting question. Before the transfer portal I think I would have said Vic. Famous coach, southern climate, interesting city that is an emerging tech center, in short many ingredients to be a consistent major contender. But losing three key players in the portal raises questions about the program too.

Shea could be there soon too, and clearly is a program on the up-swing, but has the potential disadvantage of being the Northwestern of the SEC, namely having to sometimes take a pass on a top player because of academics. Of course Stanford was a national power for years despite having the same issue.

Kara has the national team status to add to her resume, is a well known personality and in a hotbed of basketball interest, so she deserves to be on this list. Lindsay is a puzzlement to me. I get the appeal of LA to young athletes, and her ability to recruit is proven, but I'm not sure if she is that good a coach, and at least it seems to me she just tries to get the most talent, regardless of how it goes together or fits into a team concept.

Jeff has been in the discussion for years, but always seems to be the next tier of national contenders, just below the top dogs. Kim has that great sophomore class to add to, and if she is ever going to get there, it is probably with that group. Jan inherited a great program built on Clark's exceptional popularity, but I think she needs to achieve high level success on her own for a few years before she will be a top threat. And finally I wonder if Mark can just buy a championship with short term portal rentals, but he too needs a few more years pf success, and demonstrate an ability to recruit HS recruits as well.

This is a great list of potential candidates, a case can be made for all of them, but if I had to pick one, it would be between Vic, Shea and Kara and I can't decide between those three.

 

[Bone Dog]

I picked Jan because she builds the same way Lisa did before her. I may be wrong, but that’s a model of team play I recognize.

 

[GamecockFam]

Gottlieb is an interesting candidate. She has all the talent in the world and her team should be capable of winning it all but if she cannot win it in the next few years, I doubt she keeps striking gold. She seems like a good short-term bet but a bad long-term one.

 

[BruinGold]

Gottlieb is an interesting candidate. She has all the talent in the world and her team should be capable of winning it all but if she cannot win it in the next few years, I doubt she keeps striking gold. She seems like a good short-term bet but a bad long-term one.

All that talent and all that money to throw at talent...

I think this take is spot on. Next year is going to be really interesting in Galen. If the team doesn't produce, does the money dry up? L.A. isn't the most patient town to operate in.

 

[bballnut90]

Gottlieb is an interesting candidate. She has all the talent in the world and her team should be capable of winning it all but if she cannot win it in the next few years, I doubt she keeps striking gold. She seems like a good short-term bet but a bad long-term one.

I feel similarly about Texas/Vic in terms of longevity. He’s 65 and running out of time. Came painfully close in 2018 and a bad shooting game by Booker likely kept them from winning in 2026. They have strong lineups going forward but he doesn’t strike me as the type of person who wants to coach well into his 70s either.

 

[triaddukefan]

Not biased, but I voted for Coach Lawson. If she brings a title to West Durham, I look forward to getting her name tattooed across my chest... The day after I go looting through the streets in celebration.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Interesting topic and interesting list of potentials. It could be just as likely the next first timer is someone not even on this list...although I can't think of anyone obvious that has been left out.

 

[JellyBean]

I went with "Other". Great list of names and very capable candidates but I just got a feeling that someone that is not in the "In Group" is going to win before anyone on that list wins one.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Vic obviously has been recruiting better than ever and we need to see what this Texas re-tool looks like.

But the exodus of players makes you wonder if that window just closed?

Gottlieb has an obvious immediate opportunity and possible can continue to lock down a lot of Cali talent and get more opportunities.

But if this core doesn't get it will another?


Lawson just seems line it will eventually happen.

Ralph not impossible at Vandy but could also be in line for UConn. What if that happened next year and there was Strong and she brought Blake's and Galvin?

 

[Puppy Love]

My money is on Lindsey Gottlieb. However, if she doesn’t do it with this team, maybe she never will.