Brad Stevens to the Celtics

[Duvall]

Brad Stevens to Celtics. (http://www.butlersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/2013-14/releases/20130703gp8h85)

ETA: I mean, they have to get rid of Rondo now, right? How is that guy going to play for a 36-year-old college coach?

Could be good news for Nolan. Stevens has to have plenty of respect for him.

[luburch]

Sorry if this has been posted somewhere, but hearing on Twitter Brad Stevens has been appointed coach of the Celtics.

Well I guess this kills some of the hope that he would take over for Coach K one day.

[Dukehky]

Wojo should go to Butler. Fly little bird, fly out of the nest, then come back later.

I don't see this working real well for Boston... It's different when 38 yr old Jason Kidd takes over a team, Stevens has no NBA experience. Hopefully he does well, I dig his style.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Wow...hate it for Butler fans and students. Good day for campus to not be in session.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Wojo should go to Butler. Fly little bird, fly out of the nest, then come back later.

I don't see this working real well for Boston... It's different when 38 yr old Jason Kidd takes over a team, Stevens has no NBA experience. Hopefully he does well, I dig his style.

Ooooh! I love that idea. It will be a fun search to watch.

[BD80]

Sorry if this has been posted somewhere, but hearing on Twitter Brad Stevens has been appointed coach of the Celtics.

Well I guess this kills some of the hope that he would take over for Coach K one day.

He won't be breaking K's win record ...

And Ainge says the Celts aren't tanking. They hired an aquarium keeper!

Can't see Rondo getting along with Opie ...

[Native]

The rumors are true, per SportsCenter's Twitter (https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/352543219474632704):


BREAKING: Celtics have announced Brad Stevens as their new head coach. Stevens served as coach at Butler University for past 6 years.

[TKG]

Just do not understand this move by Stevens; particularly given the fire sale that is going on with the Celts roster. Even if every first round pick the Cs got from the Nets works out, the Celts are five years away from being competitive. Five years is several life times for an NBA coach.

[dukenilnil]

They were such a nice story and all external indications were that Stevens eschewed the bright lights and looked to build a program at Butler. Instead, he dashed for the pros and in 20 years, Butler will just be a footnote. Can't blame him and wish him luck with Bos, but I'm always a little sad when the big guy on the block wins and the little guy gets left behind.

[Duvall]

They were such a nice story and all external indications were that Stevens eschewed the bright lights and looked to build a program at Butler. Instead, he dashed for the pros and in 20 years, Butler will just be a footnote. Can't blame him and wish him luck with Bos, but I'm always a little sad when the big guy on the block wins and the little guy gets left behind.

Butler was hardly left behind - they went from the Horizon League to the Big East in three years, and Stevens is responsible for a lot of that.

[Dukehky]

Just do not understand this move by Stevens; particularly given the fire sale that is going on with the Celts roster. Even if every first round pick the Cs got from the Nets works out, the Celts are five years away from being competitive. Five years is several life times for an NBA coach.

I think with the Celtics roster right now, it gives Stevens more guaranteed time. Pro sports right now is WIN NOW OR ELSE. With a relatively realistic seeming front office like Boston, I think it gives him more time so it's not going to be one year then he's fired and he's out on his I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.. I think this makes sense for him to take the Boston job. Not sure it makes sense for Boston to take Stevens though.

[Olympic Fan]

This blows me away. I can't think of a more unlikely hire for the Celtics.

Oh well, whenever anybody speculated about Duke hiring Stevens to replace K some day, my main concern was whether he would leave his nest at Butler.

Now that he's out there, he should be ripe for plucking in 3-of-4 years of failure with the new look (no talent) Celtics. If K retires in 2016 or 2017, that should be just about right.

PS Just want to make it clear -- I think Stevens is a great young coach, I just don't think coaching can overcome lack of talent in the NBA. And the Celtics have become one of the NBA's least taented teams. I think this will work about about as well as the Celtics hiring Pitino (who I also thought was a hell of a coach ... plus e had NBA experience).

[subzero02]

I wonder if he consulted Pitino?

[ricks68]

Now that Brad Stevens has left Butler, we can pick him up after he either gets canned from the Celtics, or just plain bails out. I had been concerned about us approaching a guy that had such a strong relationship with such a fine college program. So, I think our chances will be better catching him on the rebound later. I don't think he will fit in as well with the NBA as he did in college ball. Great guy. Great coach. Too honorable for the NBA. I don't know what that game is they play there, but I am not so sure it is basketball. I mean, like aren't you supposed to dribble the ball on the way to the basket?:rolleyes:

(Gee, I just read Olympic Fan's prior post after posting this. Did not mean to be redundant. But, more proof that great minds think alike.)

ricks

[sagegrouse]

Just do not understand this move by Stevens; particularly given the fire sale that is going on with the Celts roster. Even if every first round pick the Cs got from the Nets works out, the Celts are five years away from being competitive. Five years is several life times for an NBA coach.

Coaching basketball is a business. It may be a calling. It may be a profession. But it's a business. Whatever they are paying him is enough to make it worth his while. We'll see if the number is big -- $5 mil. -- or much smaller.

One thing is that both Pitino and Calipari, after crashing in the pros, landed on their feet and have gone on to NCAA championships since returning.

The other thing is that the celtics run a "grown-up" organization and have probably looked at this from every angle.

A third thing is the thoroughness of Steven's coaching style. No detail left alone. Much like K.

But as Aunt Sarah used to say, "You could have knocked me over with a feather."

sagegrouse

[CameronBornAndBred]

Too honorable for the NBA.


Just curious as to why you say this. Because he didn't leave for another school is honorable, but if he bolts for the pros it doesn't matter? I think if he had gone to another school, nobody would have found fault, but it was always impressive that he stayed. Not saying you are right or wrong in your opinion, but I just don't see the distinction. Especially now, since he leaves his school at a bad time. (Recruiting wise and readiness wise in their search for a new coach.)

[Atlanta Duke]

I wonder if he consulted Pitino?

Sports Guy Bill Simmons hopes not

‏@BillSimmons

Last time the Celts hired a successful college coach, he kicked things off by stealing Red Auerbach's presidency. This can't go worse.

https://twitter.com/BillSimmons/status/352545809633509378

[MChambers]

This blows me away. I can't think of a more unlikely hire for the Celtics.

Oh well, whenever anybody speculated about Duke hiring Stevens to replace K some day, my main concern was whether he would leave his nest at Butler.

Now that he's out there, he should be ripe for plucking in 3-of-4 years of failure with the new look (no talent) Celtics. If K retires in 2016 or 2017, that should be just about right.

PS Just want to make it clear -- I think Stevens is a great young coach, I just don't think coaching can overcome lack of talent in the NBA. And the Celtics have become one of the NBA's least taented teams. I think this will work about about as well as the Celtics hiring Pitino (who I also thought was a hell of a coach ... plus e had NBA experience).
I had exactly the same reaction.

[dukebsbll14]

I have no words. Just this .gif of Brad Stevens

http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2369803/freakout.gif

[ricks68]

Just curious as to why you say this. Because he didn't leave for another school is honorable, but if he bolts for the pros it doesn't matter? I think if he had gone to another school, nobody would have found fault, but it was always impressive that he stayed. Not saying you are right or wrong in your opinion, but I just don't see the distinction. Especially now, since he leaves his school at a bad time. (Recruiting wise and readiness wise in their search for a new coach.)

I was referring just to the pureness of the game. That was all. It had nothing to do with all the other stuff. O.K?

ricks

[Duvall]

Now that Brad Stevens has left Butler, we can pick him up after he either gets canned from the Celtics, or just plain bails out. I had been concerned about us approaching a guy that had such a strong relationship with such a fine college program. So, I think our chances will be better catching him on the rebound later. I don't think he will fit in as well with the NBA as he did in college ball. Great guy. Great coach. Too honorable for the NBA. I don't know what that game is they play there, but I am not so sure it is basketball. I mean, like aren't you supposed to dribble the ball on the way to the basket?:rolleyes:


NBA basketball is a lot more "pure" than Butler basketball. You're aren't supposed to grab all five offensive players at once either.

[dukeofcalabash]

Butler was hardly left behind - they went from the Horizon League to the Big East in three years, and Stevens is responsible for a lot of that.

Just a couple of thoughts:
1. Butler to the Big East is not that big a deal with all of the destruction of the Big East (they should change their name).
2. Butler is still little more than a footnote BEFORE Stevens left and will be less now.
3. Whew, Coach K's record NCAA wins will not be in jeopardy from Stevens.

Good move for Stevens and maybe he can put some character into those spoiled NBA players, but who cares?

[hurleyfor3]

Reach Final Four with small-time program
Go to nba
Wear out your welcome with Celtics
Return to college, this time with upper-echelon program
Win national championship there


It's been done before. OK, I skipped a couple steps, but still. Larry Bird isn't walking through that door.

[JasonEvans]

I get the sense that some folks seem to think that Butler will be a weak program going forward. Folks, you need a history lesson.

Since the mid-90s, Butler has been one of the real mid-major powers out there. From 1996-2003 they won the following number of games each year: 23, 22, 22, 23, 24, 24, 26, and 27. Very few programs can match that kind of continued success. The year BEFORE Stevens arrived, they won 29 games and made the Sweet 16.

Yes, Brad took them to back-to-back championship games -- which is HUGE -- but it is not like the program was a nobody before he arrived and I suspect it will be still quite strong under whoever takes over.

-Jason "I'd love, love, love for Wojo to get this job" Evans

[BD80]

... -Jason "I'd love, love, love for Wojo to get this job" Evans

You'd have Chris, Wojo, and Mike Brey all within a few hours drive at good academic universities recruiting the Chicago/Indiana area. Brutal.

[davekay1971]

Now that he's out there, he should be ripe for plucking in 3-of-4 years of failure with the new look (no talent) Celtics. If K retires in 2016 or 2017, that should be just about right.
.

Stevens clearly has Duke set as his final destination. But, how best to do it? Stay at Butler for 4-5 more years and hope the iron stays hot? That would require keeping the Duke faithful interested in him by staying successful at Butler even with Butler changing conferences. And it would mean leaving Butler for another college, which would leave the Butler fans feeling much more jilted than they will with him leaving for the NBA.

So now he goes to the NBA. He can succeed or fail in the NBA, doesn't matter (look at Pitino and Calipari...both failed in the NBA and returned for successful college careers). Right at about the time K is likely to retire, Stevens will be ready to return to college. And now he returns with experience in the NBA, always a huge recruiting bonus. So, in about 2018, Stevens takes the helm at Duke, no longer moving up from a small college program to one of the biggest college programs with all the questions of whether he can make the leap...now moving from a legendary NBA franchise to a legendary college franchise, a household name, and a powerhouse recruiter.

K's power is great, to be able to manipulate all that from his garden in Durham.

[-jk]

Stevens clearly has Duke set as his final destination. But, how best to do it? Stay at Butler for 4-5 more years and hope the iron stays hot? That would require keeping the Duke faithful interested in him by staying successful at Butler even with Butler changing conferences. And it would mean leaving Butler for another college, which would leave the Butler fans feeling much more jilted than they will with him leaving for the NBA.

So now he goes to the NBA. He can succeed or fail in the NBA, doesn't matter (look at Pitino and Calipari...both failed in the NBA and returned for successful college careers). Right at about the time K is likely to retire, Stevens will be ready to return to college. And now he returns with experience in the NBA, always a huge recruiting bonus. So, in about 2018, Stevens takes the helm at Duke, no longer moving up from a small college program to one of the biggest college programs with all the questions of whether he can make the leap...now moving from a legendary NBA franchise to a legendary college franchise, a household name, and a powerhouse recruiter.

K's power is great, to be able to manipulate all that from his garden in Durham.

Nice conspiracy, but you've missed a thread - the Pagliuca family. Nick is just joining Duke, keeping the connection strong. When Stevens leaves Boston, the pipeline to Duke will be clear.

-jk

[brevity]

This move is... interesting. Brad Stevens won't be out of place in the NBA -- currently in a youth movement for head coaches -- and the Celtics organization is one of the few that exceeds Duke in prestige. Maybe he wants the challenge, but I just wonder why he'd want the headache.


Stevens clearly has Duke set as his final destination. But, how best to do it? Stay at Butler for 4-5 more years and hope the iron stays hot? That would require keeping the Duke faithful interested in him by staying successful at Butler even with Butler changing conferences. And it would mean leaving Butler for another college, which would leave the Butler fans feeling much more jilted than they will with him leaving for the NBA.

So now he goes to the NBA. He can succeed or fail in the NBA, doesn't matter (look at Pitino and Calipari...both failed in the NBA and returned for successful college careers). Right at about the time K is likely to retire, Stevens will be ready to return to college. And now he returns with experience in the NBA, always a huge recruiting bonus. So, in about 2018, Stevens takes the helm at Duke, no longer moving up from a small college program to one of the biggest college programs with all the questions of whether he can make the leap...now moving from a legendary NBA franchise to a legendary college franchise, a household name, and a powerhouse recruiter.

K's power is great, to be able to manipulate all that from his garden in Durham.


Nice conspiracy, but you've missed a thread - the Pagliuca family. Nick is just joining Duke, keeping the connection strong. When Stevens leaves Boston, the pipeline to Duke will be clear.

-jk

May as well throw in Billy King, who engineered the Garnett/Pierce trade from the Nets' end. Without him the Celtics aren't in rebuilding mode.

[mattman91]

I still see Stevens as a potential head coach at Duke, after K retires in about...20 years or so.

[Duvall]

This move is... interesting. Brad Stevens won't be out of place in the NBA -- currently in a youth movement for head coaches -- and the Celtics organization is one of the few that exceeds Duke in prestige. Maybe he wants the challenge, but I just wonder why he'd want the headache.

There's more than one kind of headache. Now Stevens can focus on coaching without ever worrying about recruiting teenagers.

[luburch]

Maybe he thought he had taken Butler as far as he could? He went to two championship games in his first six seasons and perhaps he felt that was the peak for Butler basketball?

If he had won a championship at Butler, does he still join the Celtics?

[Edouble]

Maybe he thought he had taken Butler as far as he could? He went to two championship games in his first six seasons and perhaps he felt that was the tip of the iceberg for Butler basketball?

If he had won a championship at Butler, does he still join the Celtics?

The "tip of the iceberg" is actually the antithesis of taking something as far as it can go... ???

[luburch]

The "tip of the iceberg" is actually the antithesis of taking something as far as it can go... ???

It's late and I just watched an hour of fireworks, please excuse my pathetic grammar/syntax at this time.

[TexHawk]

Stevens clearly has Duke set as his final destination.

Clearly? I agree that it's possible, maybe even likely, but far from a done deal. If Stevens does 3-4 years in the NBA and looks to come back, there could be several few plum college jobs that could intrigue him. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Duke, UNC, Kentucky, UCLA, Texas, and Syracuse are all looking for new coaches at that time. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if Indiana dumped Crean soon if they think he's hit his ceiling there, and that's the job Stevens has supposedly coveted for years. Duke is absolutely at the top of that list, but calling it "clear" seems a bit premature.

[ChillinDuke]

Not sure what to think here.

Taking nothing away from Stevens, I'm not sure he's suited for the egos / scrutiny / culture of the NBA. And that's before even considering he's going to a big sports market with a storied history.

Plus the money (6 yrs, 22 mil) doesn't seem mind blowing. I'm sure it's an increase over Butler. I will admit I don't really know NBA coach salaries these days.

I wish him the best. And ill certainly be watching to see how this plays out. But place me in the "non believer" category for this one at least as of Day 1.

- Chillin

[tommy]

There's more than one kind of headache. Now Stevens can focus on coaching without ever worrying about recruiting teenagers.

He won't have to recruit chronological teenagers, but rather mental and emotional ones like, say, Dwight Howard . . .

[SoCalDukeFan]

Celtics get a young coach who can beat teams with more talent. Plus he is respected by younger guys. If he works out than potential great NBA coach. Plus they save a few bucks compared to Doc
Stevens gets a chance to see if the NBA is for him and if not pick his college job.
Wonder what the schools he turned down like UCLA think?

SoCal

[tommy]

This blows me away. I can't think of a more unlikely hire for the Celtics.

Oh well, whenever anybody speculated about Duke hiring Stevens to replace K some day, my main concern was whether he would leave his nest at Butler.

Now that he's out there, he should be ripe for plucking in 3-of-4 years of failure with the new look (no talent) Celtics. If K retires in 2016 or 2017, that should be just about right.

So in your mind does Stevens become any less desirable as a future Duke Head Coach if he fails with the Celtics? How would such failure enhance his stock?

Make no mistake about it, the odds against Stevens succeeding in Boston are long. Besides the problems with the Celtics' roster coming in, there is history working against him. Who are the college head coaches who have jumped to a pro head coaching job and succeeded? I don't know, but I know the ones who have failed (and moist of them failed miserably) include Rick Pitino, John Calipari, Mike Montgomery, Tim Floyd, PJ Carlesimo, Lon Kruger, and Leonard Hamilton. I'm sure there are others.

Once they failed as pro coaches, how many jumped right back into college coaching at the highest level? Pitino is the only one, and even with regard to that one, at the time he took over at Louisville, they were coming off a 12-19 season (their second 12 win season in the last 4 under Denny Crum); the program was in disrepair. Calipari did not have a head coaching job for a year after being canned by the Nets before he had to go to Memphis, hardly a national power at the time. Montgomery went to Cal, Floyd also was without a head coaching job for a year after New Orleans got rid of him and he landed at USC; Carlesimo never returned to college coaching; Kruger went down in class to UNLV, while Hamilton sat out a year after his short stint with the Wizards before landing with FSU, basically a wash as he had come from Miami. So none of these guys, after failing in the pros, landed jobs with elite programs immediately upon their dismissals.

[tommy]

Celtics get a young coach who can beat teams with more talent. Plus he is respected by younger guys. If he works out than potential great NBA coach. Plus they save a few bucks compared to Doc
Stevens gets a chance to see if the NBA is for him and if not pick his college job.
Wonder what the schools he turned down like UCLA think?

SoCal

I don't know how much UCLA offered Stevens, but what they're paying Steve Alford is about half of what Stevens is getting from the Celtics. Different universe in terms of salary.

[Edouble]

So in your mind does Stevens become any less desirable as a future Duke Head Coach if he fails with the Celtics? How would such failure enhance his stock?

Make no mistake about it, the odds against Stevens succeeding in Boston are long. Besides the problems with the Celtics' roster coming in, there is history working against him. Who are the college head coaches who have jumped to a pro head coaching job and succeeded? I don't know, but I know the ones who have failed (and moist of them failed miserably) include Rick Pitino, John Calipari, Mike Montgomery, Tim Floyd, PJ Carlesimo, Lon Kruger, and Leonard Hamilton. I'm sure there are others.

Sounds like you mean that the odds against Stevens succeeding in Boston are good, not long.

Likewise, the odds of Stevens succeeding in Boston are long.

And I would agree with that!

[Mike Corey]

Before Rick Pitino flopped with the Celtics, he thrived at Kentucky. From whence did he come prior to the Wildcats gig?

The New York Knickerbockers, armed with Patrick Ewing and Co. Under Pitino's guidance, the Knicks won their first division title in two decades. And then Pitino left.

My fervent hope is that Stevens' track is similar.

[Henderson]

It's a winning move for Stevens precisely because everyone assumes the Celtics will be terrible. If they are, not his fault. If they are not, he's a genius. If they remain horrible for several years, still not his fault, because he's not in charge of making personnel moves. If they gradually improve, he gets credit for that improvement.

His only risk is that he alienates the players or can't relate to them, provoking a public firestorm, and that's within his control to a large extent. He's a bright guy, so I don't see that happening. He knows what he has to do to get along with NBA players.

$22 million, almost no professional risk, proximity to both ocean and mountains, plus better seafood. Yeah, it's a good move.

P.S. I'm not sold on the idea of Stevens ever being affiliated with Duke University, and I don't think he is either.

[gwlaw99]

Just do not understand this move by Stevens; particularly given the fire sale that is going on with the Celts roster. Even if every first round pick the Cs got from the Nets works out, the Celts are five years away from being competitive. Five years is several life times for an NBA coach.

Maybe it gives him a way to go to a bigger school without going directly from Butler.

[sagegrouse]

Not sure what to think here.

Taking nothing away from Stevens, I'm not sure he's suited for the egos / scrutiny / culture of the NBA. And that's before even considering he's going to a big sports market with a storied history.

Plus the money (6 yrs, 22 mil) doesn't seem mind blowing. I'm sure it's an increase over Butler. I will admit I don't really know NBA coach salaries these days.

I wish him the best. And ill certainly be watching to see how this plays out. But place me in the "non believer" category for this one at least as of Day 1.

- Chillin

Some Q's:

Can we reverse engineer this selection by the Celtics and conclude that Stevens is viewed in both college and the pros as the best young coach in the US of A -- at any level? It's a possibility.

Is he ready for Boston, where you have to back up to double park and where there is a bit of an in-your-face attitude? Uh, no!
How likely is this move to the Celtics for Brad Stevens, who -- at 36 years of age -- has apparently never lived outside the state of Indiana? (Zionsville --> Depauw --> Eli Lilly --> Butler)

Do we think it's possible that Stevens's rep contacted the Celtics about his availability?

This is such a surprise that I'll wait and see what happens.

sagegrouse

[SoCalDukeFan]

I don't know how much UCLA offered Stevens, but what they're paying Steve Alford is about half of what Stevens is getting from the Celtics. Different universe in terms of salary.

Which is exactly why UCLA fans will be unhappy. If they had upped the ante then maybe they could have landed Stevens.

[FerryFor50]

This move is... interesting. Brad Stevens won't be out of place in the NBA -- currently in a youth movement for head coaches -- and the Celtics organization is one of the few that exceeds Duke in prestige. Maybe he wants the challenge, but I just wonder why he'd want the headache.





May as well throw in Billy King, who engineered the Garnett/Pierce trade from the Nets' end. Without him the Celtics aren't in rebuilding mode.

Man, you can't throw a stone in the NBA without hitting a Dukie! :)

[Jarhead]

Sounds like you mean that the odds against Stevens succeeding in Boston are good, not long.

Likewise, the odds of Stevens succeeding in Boston are long.

And I would agree with that!

Seems almost like a double negative to me, but I'm not even thinking about Stevens as K's successor at Duke. I'm leaving that to Coach Krzyzewski, and it won't be as soon as you think. He's only 66, and he obviously works hard at his job. He's not a man eagerly planning for retirement.

[weezie]

At least he'll have better suits! The haberdasheries in Boston have to be nicer than those in Indy. :cool:

[OldPhiKap]

Happy for Brad.

Sad for college basketball.

[throatybeard]

The NBA apparently has suspended its drug policy, because Stevens is on crack.

[Henderson]

The NBA apparently has suspended its drug policy, because Stevens is on crack.

It's been a while since I turned down a $22 million contract, so you might be right. Your experience in that regard is probably more recent.

[moonpie23]

this is good for nolan, yes? Stevens knows what a talent nolan is....he's seen it first hand...

[SoCalDukeFan]

The NBA apparently has suspended its drug policy, because Stevens is on crack.

Disagree.
After a few years he will either be very rich and headed for greatness as the coach who was part of the rebuilding of an iconic NBA team or very rich and trying to decide which college job to take

While anything can happen, I think no matter what he will be in great demand as a college coach.

Only question is keeping his sanity dealing with the NBA.

SoCal

[striker219]

"One of the things that you're looking for in all of this, and I know it sounds crazy with the shuffling and realignment going on, is stability. This offers a great potential for stability." -Brad Stevens, former coach of the Butler University Bulldogs, July 1, 2013

[gep]

I really feel bad for Butler... but as their President and AD said, they WILL go forward.

[Olympic Fan]

Before Rick Pitino flopped with the Celtics, he thrived at Kentucky. From whence did he come prior to the Wildcats gig?

The New York Knickerbockers, armed with Patrick Ewing and Co. Under Pitino's guidance, the Knicks won their first division title in two decades. And then Pitino left.

My fervent hope is that Stevens' track is similar.

Pitino's career track is -- to say the least -- unique.

He started with two years as an assistant at Hawaii, finishing as a interim head coach in 1976 (2-4 in six games as head coach). He was also named for 8 NCAA violations while on the staff at Hawaii when they were put on probation.

He then had two years as an assistant to Jim Boeheim at Syracuse.

That was followed by two years as head coach (one NCAA bid) as Boston University.

So far, a fairly routine career track. Then it gets interesting.

After the 1979 season, Pitino left BU to become an assistant to Hubie Brown with the Knicks. He spent five seasons as an assistant there.

But in 1985, he bounced back to the NCAA, becoming head coach at Providence. He led the Friars to the 1987 Final Four ... and promptly left.

In 1988 and 1989, he served as head coach of the Knicks. He had one losing season and one good season (after adding Charles Oakley in the offseason ... it was also Mark Jackson's second year and he really blossomed). The Knicks swept the 76ers in the first round, but lost 4-2 to the Bulls in the second round.

That's when Pitino left for Kentucky, taking over the program when it was on probation. He did a great job, building a team that took No. 1 Duke to the wire in the East Regional finals in 1992, then reaching the Final Four in 1993. He won the national title in 1996 and returned to the title game in 1997, losing in OT to Arizona.

At this point, there were those who argued that Pitino was the best basketball coach in the country.

But he left Kentucky after 1997 (leaving Tubby Smith a team that would win the '98 title) and took the Celtics job -- four losing seasons later, Pitino was fired.

He landed at Louisville and in the 12 seasons since (his longest stint at any school) he's produced three Final Four teams and a national title.

Standing back and looking at his resume, the four-year stint with the Celtics is the big blot on a pretty impressive record. It's really the only place he worked where he failed. I can't think of anybody who has bounced back and forth between the NBA ad NCAA quite like Pitino -- I guess Larry Brown is the closest thing to it.

Anyway, hope the Celtics don't diminish Stevens' resume the way they hurt Pitino's.

[MCFinARL]

Just a couple of thoughts:
1. Butler to the Big East is not that big a deal with all of the destruction of the Big East (they should change their name).
2. Butler is still little more than a footnote BEFORE Stevens left and will be less now.
3. Whew, Coach K's record NCAA wins will not be in jeopardy from Stevens.

Good move for Stevens and maybe he can put some character into those spoiled NBA players, but who cares?

Not sure I agree with your first point here since the "Big East" name is going with the basketball schools--Georgetown, Villanova, St. John's, Seton Hall, Providence, plus Marquette, Xavier, Creighton, DePaul, Butler. For Butler basketball this is a substantial upgrade in both overall league quality and media market visibility. The other teams are likely sorry to see Stevens leave, but the league change will probably make it easier for Butler to make a high quality hire.

[DevilWearsPrada]

Brad Stevens to Celtics. (http://www.butlersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/2013-14/releases/20130703gp8h85)

ETA: I mean, they have to get rid of Rondo now, right? How is that guy going to play for a 36-year-old college coach?

Could be good news for Nolan. Stevens has to have plenty of respect for him.


Keep your ears open!!!!! (Nolan may end up in Boston!) Good opportunity for Brad Stevens. And Coach Stevens was the only person the Celtics interviewed.

The Butler Head Coaching job will be a good opportunity for someone. I don't know if Wojo is interested in that job, or if Butler has an interest in Coach Wojo. But Butler certainly is a good mid major university, and now in the Big East, and a great area to live in.

However, when I heard on ESPN on Wednesday that Brad Stevens took the Boston Celtics position; I was knocked over by a feather!! lol The best to the Stevens family with this new NBA career.

[gus]

Compared to college, NBA games are longer, the season has far more games, and individuals' track records are better documented and more detailed. I have to think all these things are very attractive for a coach that even makes substitution decisions based on statistics.

[brevity]

The Butler Head Coaching job will be a good opportunity for someone. I don't know if Wojo is interested in that job, or if Butler has an interest in Coach Wojo. But Butler certainly is a good mid major university, and now in the Big East, and a great area to live in.

Butler is keeping it in the family (http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9450261/lavall-jordan-front-runner-butler-bulldogs-coaching-job-sources-say): either Michigan assistant (and former Butler player/assistant) LaVall Jordan or Butler assistant (and former player) Brandon Miller.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Butler will be fun to watch from a coaching standpoint. I think they will be fine. Keeping it "in the family" is a very smart move. It makes the fans and the players happy. And on top of that, it looks like they have some decent options. Butler may turn out to be springboard job for the new guy's next hire, but since they are not a huge program (but still a respectable one), that is not a bad thing. Similar to VCU. Shaka Smart is much like Brad Stevens; he hasn't found any reason to leave yet, but every year we expect it to happen. How many other coaches have the opportunities they do at schools that are so small? (None) And when they leave, like Stevens has done, he is giving someone else that will hopefully be as fun to follow a chance to prove themselves.

[brevity]

Butler hires Brandon Miller (http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9454808/butler-bulldogs-promote-assistant-brandon-miller-head-coach). And it's not as in-house as it sounds. He played at Butler from 2000-2003, but was assistant coach there only from 2007-2008. He rejoined Brad Stevens' staff in April.

[DevilWearsPrada]

Butler hires Brandon Miller (http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9454808/butler-bulldogs-promote-assistant-brandon-miller-head-coach). And it's not as in-house as it sounds. He played at Butler from 2000-2003, but was assistant coach there only from 2007-2008. He rejoined Brad Stevens' staff in April.

Good to hear that Butler has named their Head Coach and can move forward.




The Best to Nolan Smith with the Summer League for the Boston Celtics!!!!

The Boston Celtics 2013 Draft Picks Kelly Olynyk and Colton Iverson will join Celtics 2012 Draft Pick Fab Melo as members of the Celtics entrant to the 2013 Orlando Pro Summer League. They are joined on the roster by NBA veterans Nolan Smith and Darius Johnson-Odom as well 2013 NBA D-League Rookie of the Year Tony Mitchell....
Read more at http://www.hoopsworld.com/boston-celtics-2013-orlando-summer-league-roster#YAVpAr6b538LPQs7.99

[Billy Dat]

Maybe it gives him a way to go to a bigger school without going directly from Butler.

After reacting with the same shock that everyone else experienced, this is one of the first thoughts I had. But, I think it also indicates that Stevens had much bigger ambitions then any of us thought. The fact that he chose to stay at Butler after the back-to-back title game appearances was, perhaps, a red herring. Maybe he was waiting for the NBA call? Someone quoted earlier in the thread his desire for financial stability, I am sure that was a big factor as that money is coming to him whether or not they fire him. But, he clearly relishes, as K does, the opportunity to coach the best of the best.


Can we reverse engineer this selection by the Celtics and conclude that Stevens is viewed in both college and the pros as the best young coach in the US of A -- at any level? It's a possibility.

I think this is a good notion. People speak about Stevens differently then other young guns. Boeheim called him, "the best young coach I have seen in my time"...and that's a looong time. Here's the first half of K's comments, "Brad is one of the great college coaches. He's an outstanding coach. He's at a time -- he's young -- I can see him wanting to do something different. He's terrific. It's a great hire for the Celtics. He's really smart, his teams play that way. He's just a heckuva of a coach. He has a maturity of an established head coach right away. I just think -- forget about young coaches -- I think he's one of the best coaches. I don't think you could have a better guy. He's smart and he'll adapt. I think he'll do a really good job there."


ETA: I mean, they have to get rid of Rondo now, right? How is that guy going to play for a 36-year-old college coach?

Another great call. Rondo, as talented as he is, seems to be a moody dude and mercurial as heck. Despite PR attempts to spin the situation, it seems valid that he and Rivers almost got into a brawl in the locker room. The guy is an amazing talent, maybe with the old guard gone and the Celtics clearly his team, he'll rise to the occasion as the unquestioned leader.

Another K quote, "He'll (Stevens) have respect. He's accomplished. Players respect success. He's had great success right away. So I don't think he'll have any problem with the players respecting him. They'll respect him. They respect excellence. He has it."

We'll see. Aside from his basketball mind, which people seem to peg at the "genius" level, I think his best trait for the pro game is his calm demeanor. The rah rah doesn't play in the league. He seems like a meticulously prepared coach who aligns well with the advanced stats reality of the modern NBA. Pro players want a guy who has them prepared to play, and then lets them play. Establishing a predictable rotation is also important so guys know when their minutes will come, and they want honesty. But, the time will come when a player is going to challenge him in front of the whole squad. That will be an interesting moment. I hope, for his sake, that player isn't Rondo....

[TexHawk]

Can we reverse engineer this selection by the Celtics and conclude that Stevens is viewed in both college and the pros as the best young coach in the US of A -- at any level? It's a possibility.


Two questions/issues with this:
1-- How are you defining "young"?

Of the top college coaches today (K, Roy, Self, Calipari, Izzo, Boeheim, Beilein, Pitino), all are 50 or over. Even a guy like Gregg Marshall is 50. Steve Alford is 48, Thad Matta is 45, Jim Larranaga is 63, even Brucey-Bruce Weber is 56. Who exactly is Stevens's competition for this title?

Of the current NBA coaches, only 7 were born in the 70s. Stevens, Kidd, Mike Brown, Vogel, Spoelstra, Monty Williams, and Jacque Vaughn. I don't think you can make a call on where Stevens fits there, but he's obviously behind Spoelstra and Vogel.

2-- How do we know that Stevens was the only coach contacted about the Celtics opening? I haven't read anything from Ainge to dispute it, but then again, you don't usually introduce your new coach by talking about who else you wanted first.

[Newton_14]

After reacting with the same shock that everyone else experienced, this is one of the first thoughts I had. But, I think it also indicates that Stevens had much bigger ambitions then any of us thought. The fact that he chose to stay at Butler after the back-to-back title game appearances was, perhaps, a red herring. Maybe he was waiting for the NBA call? Someone quoted earlier in the thread his desire for financial stability, I am sure that was a big factor as that money is coming to him whether or not they fire him. But, he clearly relishes, as K does, the opportunity to coach the best of the best.



I think this is a good notion. People speak about Stevens differently then other young guns. Boeheim called him, "the best young coach I have seen in my time"...and that's a looong time. Here's the first half of K's comments, "Brad is one of the great college coaches. He's an outstanding coach. He's at a time -- he's young -- I can see him wanting to do something different. He's terrific. It's a great hire for the Celtics. He's really smart, his teams play that way. He's just a heckuva of a coach. He has a maturity of an established head coach right away. I just think -- forget about young coaches -- I think he's one of the best coaches. I don't think you could have a better guy. He's smart and he'll adapt. I think he'll do a really good job there."


I have a theory. I admit that I may be way off here, but will share the theory nonetheless. When I first read the news on DBR I was beyond shocked. It just did not fit with the vision I had formed in my mind of what Brad Stevens is all about. I read all the posts here speculating on "the why" he made this move but none of them made sense to me either. Then I read one short statement from his press conference and a thought popped in my head. Can't recall the exact wording but it was about the "stability" of the NBA and knowing exactly where you are going to be, and he referenced the move of Butler from the Horizon to the new Big East. It got me thinking.

What if, Stevens simply became sickened with the current landscape of College Sports? All the jockeying and moving with conferences and teams, the TV money contracts, super conferences, etc, and money, money, money, is all that matters? I think we all can agree that College Sports is a mess right now, and potentially headed for a trainwreck. It's possible that Stevens being the really good guy most envision, just became sick to death of it, and said "I no longer want to be a part of this mess, so I am going to take my chances in the NBA until the powers that be get College Athletics back where they need to be, or if I like the NBA enough, I will just stay there and make my mark there".

Like I said, I could be way off, but so far that's the only thing that makes sense to me personally.

[brevity]

I have a theory. I admit that I may be way off here, but will share the theory nonetheless. When I first read the news on DBR I was beyond shocked. It just did not fit with the vision I had formed in my mind of what Brad Stevens is all about. I read all the posts here speculating on "the why" he made this move but none of them made sense to me either. Then I read one short statement from his press conference and a thought popped in my head. Can't recall the exact wording but it was about the "stability" of the NBA and knowing exactly where you are going to be, and he referenced the move of Butler from the Horizon to the new Big East. It got me thinking.

What if, Stevens simply became sickened with the current landscape of College Sports? All the jockeying and moving with conferences and teams, the TV money contracts, super conferences, etc, and money, money, money, is all that matters? I think we all can agree that College Sports is a mess right now, and potentially headed for a trainwreck. It's possible that Stevens being the really good guy most envision, just became sick to death of it, and said "I no longer want to be a part of this mess, so I am going to take my chances in the NBA until the powers that be get College Athletics back where they need to be, or if I like the NBA enough, I will just stay there and make my mark there".

Like I said, I could be way off, but so far that's the only thing that makes sense to me personally.

By joining the Big East, Butler was in a position of conference stability. About as stable as possible, really. But you may be on to something. There's a certain hypocrisy to the big business and politics of a major (basketball) conference engaged in amateur sports. And, within that conference, Butler's status as a media darling would have a short shelf life if it can't consistently compete against much higher profile programs. There is a sort of writing on the wall here.

[Billy Dat]

I have a theory. I admit that I may be way off here, but will share the theory nonetheless. When I first read the news on DBR I was beyond shocked. It just did not fit with the vision I had formed in my mind of what Brad Stevens is all about. I read all the posts here speculating on "the why" he made this move but none of them made sense to me either. Then I read one short statement from his press conference and a thought popped in my head. Can't recall the exact wording but it was about the "stability" of the NBA and knowing exactly where you are going to be, and he referenced the move of Butler from the Horizon to the new Big East. It got me thinking.

What if, Stevens simply became sickened with the current landscape of College Sports? All the jockeying and moving with conferences and teams, the TV money contracts, super conferences, etc, and money, money, money, is all that matters? I think we all can agree that College Sports is a mess right now, and potentially headed for a trainwreck. It's possible that Stevens being the really good guy most envision, just became sick to death of it, and said "I no longer want to be a part of this mess, so I am going to take my chances in the NBA until the powers that be get College Athletics back where they need to be, or if I like the NBA enough, I will just stay there and make my mark there".

Like I said, I could be way off, but so far that's the only thing that makes sense to me personally.

Good original thought/theory - this could be the focus of one of the dozen "reaction/position" pieces ESPN makes one of their army of scribes write after a big story like this breaks.

[throatybeard]

I have a theory. I admit that I may be way off here, but will share the theory nonetheless.

That's all a hypothesis, not a theory.

[Duvall]

Welcome to Boston! (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/eye-on-basketball/22783381/photo-whos-excited-to-be-a-boston-celtic)