Greg Paulus named Head Coach at Niagara (no longer interim)

[DavidBenAkiva]

Prolific tweeter Jon Rothstein sent out a notice that Patrick Beilein, son of Cleveland Cavs HC John, has stepped down as the head coach at Niagara. Assistant Coach Greg Paulus has taken over the head coaching duties, at least on an interim basis. I'm not sure this is how he wanted to get his first top job, but congrats to him anyway!

He has developed an interesting career in college ball since his playing days came to an end. From video coordinator to lead assistant at Ohio State under Thad Matta, Assistant Head Coach at Louisville after Rick Pitino was fired, another assistant position at Niagara back in his native upstate New York, and now interim head coach. Good luck to Paulus!

[Billy Dat]

Kudos to Greg, he seems like a grinder. Too bad he doesn't have Calvin Murphy at his disposal.

[jimsumner]

Kudos to Greg, he seems like a grinder. Too bad he doesn't have Calvin Murphy at his disposal.

Well, Calvin is 71. :)

[MChambers]

That's great for Greg.

Hope Patrick Belein is okay. Didn't John take the Cavs job in part to be closer to Patrick?

[Jeffrey]

He has developed an interesting career in college ball since his playing days came to an end. From video coordinator to lead assistant at Ohio State under Thad Matta, Assistant Head Coach at Louisville after Rick Pitino was fired, another assistant position at Niagara back in his native upstate New York, and now interim head coach. Good luck to Paulus!

IMO, it's also interesting Duke has not been in Greg's coaching experience.

[devildeac]

Well, Calvin is 71. :)

He'd still probably beat me in games of HORSE and/or 21, even if he spotted me several letters and/or points :o:p.

[Edouble]

IMO, it's also interesting Duke has not been in Greg's coaching experience.

Not surprising to me. One of the more disappointing stretches in Duke basketball occurred under Paulus's stewardship. McRoberts always gets the heat around here, but Paulus is up there with Ricky Price and Corey Magette as some of Coach K's mis-recruited players.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

IMO, it's also interesting Duke has not been in Greg's coaching experience.

First and most important, I hope everything is ok with Beilein.

I don’t think Paulus not coaching at Duke is very interesting. He has been coaching about 10 years, so that makes 30 assistant spots. Which of those would you have put him in? “Sorry Jeff, we don’t need you and your head coaching experience because Greg really, really wants to work here?”

The fact that he has not worked for any of the former Duke players who are now coaches is a lot more interesting. But perhaps he decided to chart his own course and build a skill set that is additive to the experience with the Duke Way that he already had. No one can fault him for his time working for Matta.

And guess what - who is a D1 head coach now?

[Indoor66]

He'd still probably beat me in games of HORSE and/or 21, even if he spotted me several letters and/or points :o:p.

I'd be willing to bet a pie he could also outjump you. :cool:

[DangerDevil]

Congrats to Greg, I hope he makes the most of the opportunity!

Minor quibble but the front page article lists Paulus as being 36, I believe he is only 33.

[Spanarkel]

Not surprising to me. One of the more disappointing stretches in Duke basketball occurred under Paulus's stewardship. McRoberts always gets the heat around here, but Paulus is up there with Ricky Price and Corey Magette as some of Coach K's mis-recruited players.

Corey averaged 24 points and 8.7 rebounds per 40, shot 61% from two-point range, was a serviceable 3-point shooter at 34.5%, etc. He did commit a TO about every 8 minutes. Overall a very good player imo.

[Edouble]

Corey averaged 24 points and 8.7 rebounds per 40, shot 61% from two-point range, was a serviceable 3-point shooter at 34.5%, etc. He did commit a TO about every 8 minutes. Overall a very good player imo.

Ah, I meant he had character issues.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/maggette-admits-to-taking-payments/

Other, uglier allegations last year, that hopefully are not true.

Not a bad player, just not a good fit for the Duke program, IMO.

[DangerDevil]

Corey averaged 24 points and 8.7 rebounds per 40, shot 61% from two-point range, was a serviceable 3-point shooter at 34.5%, etc. He did commit a TO about every 8 minutes. Overall a very good player imo.

Agreed, if there is a complaint about Maggette’s Duke career it is that it was too short.

[Spanarkel]

Ah, I meant he had character issues.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/maggette-admits-to-taking-payments/

Other, uglier allegations last year, that hopefully are not true.

Not a bad player, just not a good fit for the Duke program, IMO.


Sorry, I thought you might be referring to his on-court performance, as with the other players cited.

[Jeffrey]

Not surprising to me. One of the more disappointing stretches in Duke basketball occurred under Paulus's stewardship. McRoberts always gets the heat around here, but Paulus is up there with Ricky Price and Corey Magette as some of Coach K's mis-recruited players.

I don’t believe Price or Magette tried as hard to please K as Paulus. I’m not sure this is an attitude or character situation.


The fact that he has not worked for any of the former Duke players who are now coaches is a lot more interesting.

It appears we are saying the same thing. Duke, including former Duke coaches, is not part of Greg’s coaching experience. Hurley was an exception for a very unique reason. Greg is the only other D1 HC example I recall. Who else went a non-Duke path?

[Edouble]

Agreed, if there is a complaint about Maggette’s Duke career it is that it was too short.

It was probably the perfect length.

Had Corey hung around, he would have certainly faced a multi-game suspension for taking cash payments in high school. The NCAA may have taken a longer look at our '99 banners as well.

[Edouble]

I don’t believe McRoberts, Price or Maggete tried as hard to please K as Paulus. I’m not sure this is an attitude or character situation.
Fair enough.

I always thought Paulus threw in the towel. He carried a dejected look on his face throughout his sophomore season. I never understood the belief that he had some sort of bulldog mentality. I never saw it for myself... felt like I was seeing the opposite.

McRoberts played his a** off. By all accounts, the coaching staff was not sorry to see him hit the road though FWIW.

[Edouble]

It appears we are saying the same thing. Duke, including former Duke coaches, is not part of Greg’s coaching experience. Hurley was an exception for a very unique reason. Greg is the only other D1 HC example I recall. Who else went a non-Duke path?

Well, Capel got to D1 HC the first time around without going through Duke. He also had a unique path/reason.

[Spanarkel]

I don’t believe Price or Magette tried as hard to please K as Paulus. I’m not sure this is an attitude or character situation.



It appears we are saying the same thing. Duke, including former Duke coaches, is not part of Greg’s coaching experience. Hurley was an exception for a very unique reason. Greg is the only other D1 HC example I recall. Who else went a non-Duke path?

Kenny(now Kenneth)Blakeney of Howard University(and while not a D1 HC, SA Spurs AC Chip Engelland).

Oops, Blakeney worked under Amaker at Harvard for several years.

[Jeffrey]

Kenny(now Kenneth)Blakeney of Howard University(and while not a D1 HC, SA Spurs AC Chip Engelland).

Oops, Blakeney worked under Amaker at Harvard for several years.

And, IIRC, Brey and Lefty.

[Edouble]

And, IIRC, Brey and Lefty.

Brey did not play at Duke, but was an assistant coach at Duke. :confused:

[CameronBornAndBred]

Robert Brickey has been a head BB coach at Shaw. and an assistant at other schools.
One of those schools IS Duke, but he was assistant director of operations for the women's team, not the men's.

[devildeac]

I'd be willing to bet a pie he could also outjump you. :cool:

Yep. That would make me 0 for 3. :p

[knicknut]

I seem to have a more forgiving memory of Paulus than many on here. Perhaps my Duke-colored glasses were stronger from being on campus for part of his career.

Freshman year he was thrown in a little over his head with sky-high expectations, but did OK under JJ and Shelden's leadership.
Sophomore year was tough for everyone. Perhaps not ready to be one of the youngest captains ever, but I don't recall him throwing in the towel.
Junior year he carried a flawed team in stretches with his shooting.
Senior year he graciously accepted a demotion as Nolan Smith emerged.

Then the guys he was a year or two ahead of won the title.

He didn't live up to the top PG recruit hype physically, and took lots of flak for being posterized (feeding into the "alarmingly unathletic" stereotype). The fact that he has had no Duke connections post-graduation is interesting, as is going from programs like OSU and UL to Niagara. Despite all this, I have and will continue to wholeheartedly cheer for him to achieve success.

[gep]

I seem to have a more forgiving memory of Paulus than many on here. Perhaps my Duke-colored glasses were stronger from being on campus for part of his career.

Freshman year he was thrown in a little over his head with sky-high expectations, but did OK under JJ and Shelden's leadership.
Sophomore year was tough for everyone. Perhaps not ready to be one of the youngest captains ever, but I don't recall him throwing in the towel.
Junior year he carried a flawed team in stretches with his shooting.
Senior year he graciously accepted a demotion as Nolan Smith emerged.

Then the guys he was a year or two ahead of won the title.

He didn't live up to the top PG recruit hype physically, and took lots of flak for being posterized (feeding into the "alarmingly unathletic" stereotype). The fact that he has had no Duke connections post-graduation is interesting, as is going from programs like OSU and UL to Niagara. Despite all this, I have and will continue to wholeheartedly cheer for him to achieve success.

I share the same sentiments as you. This (bolded) was always interesting to me too. And I don't think I saw or heard of Greg at any of the Coach K Academy since he graduated... where a lot of former players come back at one time or another. Also, wasn't Greg injured at some point... maybe in his Junior and/or Senior seasons?

I will also follow and cheer for Greg, as I have always been doing since he graduated.

[cato]

Not surprising to me. One of the more disappointing stretches in Duke basketball occurred under Paulus's stewardship. McRoberts always gets the heat around here, but Paulus is up there with Ricky Price and Corey Magette as some of Coach K's mis-recruited players.

Uh oh, Maggettee-oh!

[g4orce]

Not to thread-jack, but some of the comments above mention Ricky Price in the same vain of McRoberts, Paulus & Maggette. I must have missed something... was there an issue with him & K, or just general playing issues?

[Jeffrey]

Not to thread-jack, but some of the comments above mention Ricky Price in the same vain of McRoberts, Paulus & Maggette. I must have missed something... was there an issue with him & K, or just general playing issues?

Major academic issue.

IMO, Paulus should not be grouped with Price.

[chrishoke]

Very happy for and proud of Greg. Give em hell!

[BD80]

Agreed, if there is a complaint about Maggette’s Duke career it is that it was too short.

There was the complaint about trying to get the handprint off of the backboard!


I don’t believe Price or Magette tried as hard to please K as Paulus. I’m not sure this is an attitude or character situation.



It appears we are saying the same thing. Duke, including former Duke coaches, is not part of Greg’s coaching experience. Hurley was an exception for a very unique reason. Greg is the only other D1 HC example I recall. Who else went a non-Duke path?

Follow up question: does K ever higher an assistant coach before he completes his degree? I note that several get positions such as "video coordinator" until they get the degree.

[Edouble]

Not to thread-jack, but some of the comments above mention Ricky Price in the same vain of McRoberts, Paulus & Maggette. I must have missed something... was there an issue with him & K, or just general playing issues?

Wait, you are misrepresenting my words a bit. I am glad that McRoberts was at Duke. I shudder to think of the 2006-07 team without him!


Major academic issue.

IMO, Paulus should not be grouped with Price.

Fair enough, if you want to split some mis-recruited players into two camps, we can put Paulus in with Taymon Domzalski, Michael Thompson, and Eric Boateng as McDonalds AAs who were not quite ready for prime time.

Ricky Price, Corey Maggette, Rasheed Sulaimon, and Taylor King can go on a McDonalds AAs poor character list.

Greg Newton* and Chris Burgess make both lists.

*not McDonalds AA

[Bluedog]

Congrats to Greg! I will never forget one game when I was lucky enough to be in the front of the student section and this mid-50s looking guy came up and started talking to me and my friend. I think he was eating a pizza slice or something and just acting like an ordinary dude, asking 'What is you major? How do you like Duke?' etc. etc. Seemed random, and then he left with, "Oh, I'm Greg Paulus' father. Enjoy the game!" I was like "What just happened?!" I recognize not Greg himself, but thought that was kinda cool for him to come up to random students like that.

And, yes, while Paulus got a lot of flack from the fanbase and outside of it, he gave it his all every night. He also is a really bright guy and was a good student, majoring in Pub Pol (not easy for a bball player), and showed immense leadership abilities at Duke and then quickly at Syracuse, gaining the confidence in the head coach without having played football in years. I mean, that says something. I could see how he has the intangibles to be a good coach. Good luck to him!

[killerleft]

Greg Paulus was a multi-sport high school star who perhaps chose the wrong one to play in college. His lack of footspeed doomed him in basketball. I never saw him give less than 100% on the court, and don't believe he ever did. I (like a lot of other Duke Football fans) sure wish he had played football in college. Paulus' single year at Syracuse showed his potential to be a top-notch quarterback. 'Course, he probably would have gone elsewhere for football.

He's gotten his luck, I sure hope the head coaching gig works out well.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Wait, you are misrepresenting my words a bit. I am glad that McRoberts was at Duke. I shudder to think of the 2006-07 team without him!



Fair enough, if you want to split some mis-recruited players into two camps, we can put Paulus in with Taymon Domzalski, Michael Thompson, and Eric Boateng as McDonalds AAs who were not quite ready for prime time.

Ricky Price, Corey Maggette, Rasheed Sulaimon, and Taylor King can go on a McDonalds AAs poor character list.

Greg Newton* and Chris Burgess make both lists.

*not McDonalds AA

Paulus was dramatically better than the other guys you list him with. For that matter, I would argue that Paulus was a better player than fellow McDonald's AA Wojo. He just had the misfortune of coming in with incredibly high expectations, and fading out during his senior year. He definitely frustrated me throughout his career, but again, I think that was partially due to expectations.

There is the famous story about Coach K showing Bobby Hurley a video of him constantly scowling to make him more self-aware. I think Paulus might have benefited from something similar - he never seemed to be having much fun out there.

I wish him the best of luck in this new role - he has worked really hard to get there.

[Jeffrey]

Paulus was dramatically better than the other guys you list him with.

Absolutely, IIRC, Paulus was on the All-ACC Freshman team and also made All-ACC his junior year.

[JetpackJesus]

Niagara reportedly will name Paulus as the permanent head coach on Thursday (https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/28024896/sources-niagara-make-greg-paulus-permanent-head-coach).

Congrats to Coach Paulus!

[rsvman]

Came here to post that the thread title needed to be changed, but Jetpack Jesus best me to the punch.

Congrats, Coach!

[sagegrouse]

Came here to post that the thread title needed to be changed, but Jetpack Jesus best me to the punch.

Congrats, Coach!

Age 33. Not bad.

[CamrnCrz1974]

Senior year he graciously accepted a demotion as Nolan Smith emerged.

I do not recall it being a gracious acceptance, but I could be wrong. What I remember from the time was that Paulus was incredibly bothered that after putting in so much work (this is a player who was diving on the court for loose balls in the McDoanld's All-America game; he was a tremendous worker), but had to step aside for younger talent. Paulus was not the most physically gifted, especially in terms of lateral quickness, but he was definitely a "heart and hustle" player whose effort on the court cannot be questioned. From what I recall, it was emotionally difficult for him to accept.


He didn't live up to the top PG recruit hype physically, and took lots of flak for being posterized (feeding into the "alarmingly unathletic" stereotype).

As I recall, the 2005 recruiting class -- not just at Duke -- but nationwide was not particularly deep in terms of transcendent talent. There were nice pieces in the class; certain players did very well in college (e.g., Tyler Hansbrough) while others have had good NBA careers (e.g., Lou Williams, Danny Green, Darren Collison), but this was not a class of superstars or program-defining players. Paulus was ranked very high in the 2005 class (#13 in the 247Sports Composite rankings (https://247sports.com/Season/2005-Basketball/CompositeRecruitRankings/?InstitutionGroup=highschool)), but players ranked that high in 2005 might not have been so in 2004, 2006, or other classes.

[mailman2927]

I had the pleasure of meeting Greg at K. Academy 2 yrs. ago. He was a true gentleman the whole time. Had a 45 minute conversation with him the first night and he could not have been nicer. Also,had many other interactions with him throughout the week and he always went out of his way to take time to talk. He told me that he would love the opportunity to be on the Duke staff some day. Congrats to him, he will do a great job.

[chrishoke]

Niagara reportedly will name Paulus as the permanent head coach on Thursday (https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/28024896/sources-niagara-make-greg-paulus-permanent-head-coach).

Congrats to Coach Paulus!

Way to go Idaho!

[JetpackJesus]

I had the pleasure of meeting Greg at K. Academy 2 yrs. ago. He was a true gentleman the whole time. Had a 45 minute conversation with him the first night and he could not have been nicer. Also,had many other interactions with him throughout the week and he always went out of his way to take time to talk. He told me that he would love the opportunity to be on the Duke staff some day. Congrats to him, he will do a great job.

My senior year (his freshman) he was walking through the parking lot to Cameron while a group of us were tossing around a football in K-Ville. He stopped for a couple minutes to say hello and throw the ball with us a bit. He seemed like a very nice guy, and it was certainly thoughtful of him to spend a few minutes with some fans and fellow students.

Niagara is my mom's alma mater, and she and her sister still live in Buffalo/Niagara area. If I go back to visit during basketball season, I'll try to catch a game.

[gep]

I had the pleasure of meeting Greg at K. Academy 2 yrs. ago. He was a true gentleman the whole time. Had a 45 minute conversation with him the first night and he could not have been nicer. Also,had many other interactions with him throughout the week and he always went out of his way to take time to talk. He told me that he would love the opportunity to be on the Duke staff some day. Congrats to him, he will do a great job.

For me, this is very nice to hear. I don't recall hearing his name at the K Academies in the past...

[CameronBornAndBred]

For me, this is very nice to hear. I don't recall hearing his name at the K Academies in the past...

It's always possible that he mistook him for Greg Zoubek. :p :rolleyes:

[David Bunkley]

According to this article (https://www.syracuse.com/acc/2017/11/greg_paulus_lost_job_days_after_getting_married_no w_ready_for_new_chance_at_loui.html) from when GP got the job at L'ville, his relationship with Coach K is fine.

Quote: Paulus said he talked with both Matta and Mike Krzyzewski, his former coach at Duke, before taking the job at Louisville. "That's not uncommon,'' Paulus said. "Ever since I got through playing for Coach K, he's always been there for me. Whenever opportunities came up, I'd talk with him. The same with Coach Matta. They're both lifelong mentors.''