Feinstein on K Successor

[MartyClark]

Yes. Here's a question - has an NBA coach ever left an NBA contract (ie he didn't get fired) to join a college program?

The only similar position I can think of is Saban and Harbaugh leaving the NFL to join their respective college teams, but a) that's football, b) Saban had a 6-10 record the year he left and never made it to the NFL playoffs, and c) Harbaugh had amazing success in the NFL before a very mediocre 8-8 record that led him to leave for college.

I know a lot of us are more hardcore college fans than NBA fans, but the NBA is soooooooooo much more prestigious for players and coaches. If you are having success in the NBA, what's the draw for college?

Good post. I can't answer your first question, nobody comes to mind.

Color me old fashioned, but there are some great college coaches who prefer to work with young men, enjoy helping them mature, and prefer a college town/campus atmosphere to the NBA.

I think the major downside to college jobs is the constant pressure to recruit which, I think, has gotten even more difficult with the advent of one and done guys.

Your last question is also a good one and I think a coach who is having success in the NBA, and that success can be temporal and fleeting, would probably not be attracted back to NCAA regulations, school oversight, constant recruiting and the demands of keeping kids in classes.

I can't think of any successful NBA coach who has returned to college - so you are probably right.

[Jeffrey]

Maybe by the time Coach K retires, he has a change of heart, especially if he grooms Scheyer for the job. I really like Scheyer... he seems like a good candidate in a few years... even without being a head coach somewhere else first. And he definitely knows the culture.

I suspect Scheyer will be a HC within the next two years. That’s why I’m less certain about Wojo.

Nevertheless, I’m sticking with my decade plus Wojo prediction. IIRC, the first time I mentioned it on DBR was right after Dawkins landed at Stanford. Dawkins was definitely the popular DBR choice in 2008.

[nocilla]

Yes. Here's a question - has an NBA coach ever left an NBA contract (ie he didn't get fired) to join a college program?

Potentially John Beilein.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Yes. Here's a question - has an NBA coach ever left an NBA contract (ie he didn't get fired) to join a college program?

The only similar position I can think of is Saban and Harbaugh leaving the NFL to join their respective college teams, but a) that's football, b) Saban had a 6-10 record the year he left and never made it to the NFL playoffs, and c) Harbaugh had amazing success in the NFL before a very mediocre 8-8 record that led him to leave for college.

I know a lot of us are more hardcore college fans than NBA fans, but the NBA is soooooooooo much more prestigious for players and coaches. If you are having success in the NBA, what's the draw for college?

I think that Pitino voluntarily left the Knicks for Kentucky - I'm pretty sure he wasn't fired. And this was despite the fact that at the time, Kentucky was pretty far down. I'm not sure if he was fired by the Celtics but in that case I don't think they were at all sad to see him go as it wasn't going very well.

[Neals384]

First off, I browsed back through 20 pages of threads to find a discussion on this topic (I am sure there are myriad others buried in threads with different titles) and, upon finding one, found it to be closed because, after 4 pages, it had devolved into name calling and the moderator felt it was a tired topic. So, I am not sure that's a great set-up for this but I found these fresh tweets from John Feinstein and thought they were worth sharing, especially for all the Brad Stevens stans.

@JFeinsteinBooks
Today's anecdote: Someone asked yesterday about Brad Stevens succeeding Mike Krzyzewski. I think that would be great. Won't happen for two reasons: When I brought Brad up to K years ago he said, "He's a great coach. But it needs to be someone who understands the culture..

...I said, 'did you understand the culture when you got here?" He said, "I created the f--- culture." Couldn't argue w/that. Last summer, as part of 'Back Roads,' research I spoke to Brad. Asked if he'd ever consider going back to college coaching. He said, he might...

...but one place that had been mentioned where he wouldn't go was Duke. I asked why. "Because I'd insist they take down that 2010 banner and I don't think they'd be willing to do that. I couldn't possibly look at it every day." I understand.

Please forgive my ignorance, but WTH is JFeinsteinBooks?

[Billy Dat]

Please forgive my ignorance, but WTH is JFeinsteinBooks?

It's author-journalist-Duke alum John Feinstein's twitter handle. I guess he set it up primarily to promote his books but, like many a famous person who has hung a shingle on that platform, he uses it equally to promote, entertain, and do battle with his audience.

[BD80]

Yes. Here's a question - has an NBA coach ever left an NBA contract (ie he didn't get fired) to join a college program?

...

Billy Donovan, 2007, Orlando Magic (back) to UF?

[GoDuke2015]

Awesome.

But I also think there is a clear third reason. No successful NBA coach takes a step down to coach college basketball unless he is fired. The NBA is, rightly so, the upper echelon of basketball. It's like Jamie Dimon leaving JPMorgan to be the CEO at Credit Suisse; ain't happening unless Jamie gets fired, and he's not getting fired unless he does something really naughty. And then would Credit Suisse really want him?

Brad is staying in the NBA. Hell, if he's fired by the Celtics, another team will clearly take him.

Not quite sure I buy the bank CEO analogy. the best college coaches make more money than all but a few NBA coaches. Also, the great college coaches have far more day-to-day power over their teams/programs than NBA coaches. Jamie Dimon should not have any more power/control over JPMorgan than the CEO of another bank.

Go Duke!

[moonpie23]

watch every coaching huddle in the 2010 and 2015 nattys...who do you see in a "commanding" role, other than K...

2010 - Chris Collins

2015 - Jon Scheyer


you have to earn that from the guy that invented the F'ing culture...



depending on how marquette's star rises, it could be wojo...

[Troublemaker]

Yes, IIRC, K has said his successor would need head coaching experience.

Perhaps, but (1) opinions can change about that and (2) realistically, Coach K's assistants have been mediocre as head coaches and therefore arguably harmed their candidacies in the process. Scheyer might actually benefit by not having had the head coaching experience.

[wsb3]

There was a time I would have said no to anyone not having HC experience.But Scheyer. There just seems to be something really special about him.

Of course I am pretty sure there are posts out there with my name on them where I was convinced Collins would be the successor.

[Jeffrey]

Perhaps, but (1) opinions can change about that and (2) realistically, Coach K's assistants have been mediocre as head coaches and therefore arguably harmed their candidacies in the process. Scheyer might actually benefit by not having had the head coaching experience.

Many years ago, I thought the same about Wojo.

[DukeFanNotNBAFan]

I guess I’m not understanding the impact this “culture” has in the one and done era. The team has a cadre of new players every year. A completely different starting lineup every year.

As much as I love K, I don’t think he should have a say on picking the next coach. It should be what’s best for the program above all else.

I haven’t seen a former K player have success running a program yet. So no, I’m not ready for the school to hand over the keys to any of them.

Brad Stevens seems ideal. If he wants the job when it becomes available, he should be a favorite over any K assistant. Same with someone like Chris Beard. Get the right guy, not the Duke guy.

[Steven43]

I really like Brad Stevens He's one of my favorite coaches at any level. This made me like him even more. That being said, no way. Duke and Coach K have invested in building the program from within for decades. They are not going outside of the Brotherhood for the foreseeable future. We might not ever see a non-Duke alum as head coach in our lifetimes.

Yes, Brad Stevens would be my choice, at least from an outsider’s limited perspective. Quin Snyder would be my next choice. I think he would be a dynamite head coach at Duke.

The thing I don’t get is why we are so sure Coach K is going to have the ultimate say in the matter. Kevin White didn’t hire him. Vincent Price didn’t hire him. Who else currently at Duke was there when Coach K was hired, which was almost 40 years ago? And which highly-regarded coach (I’m assuming Duke will want to hire a highly-regarded coach) will want to come to Duke if they think Coach K is still pulling the strings from the shadows while retired? I wouldn’t want to step into a situation like that, would you?

[MChambers]

I guess I’m not understanding the impact this “culture” has in the one and done era. The team has a cadre of new players every year. A completely different starting lineup every year.

As much as I love K, I don’t think he should have a say on picking the next coach. It should be what’s best for the program above all else.

I haven’t seen a former K player have success running a program yet. So no, I’m not ready for the school to hand over the keys to any of them.

Brad Stevens seems ideal. If he wants the job when it becomes available, he should be a favorite over any K assistant. Same with someone like Chris Beard. Get the right guy, not the Duke guy.

I'd think the AD will listen to K and make his or her own decision. But it would be tough not to pick an alum. But I like Beard and Stevens a lot, if either is interested.

[Reddevil]

Not sure anyone else agrees yet, but I continue my long-term wager on Wojo. Think my odds have decreased since Scheyer impressively entered the picture.

I have the same hope for Bobby Hurley. Bobby coming home would be AMAZING!

[uh_no]

there are dangers in keeping the coaching succession in the family. UNC had 8 years of futility to show for adhering to that. Kevin ollie at connecticut is another example.

I have trouble believing that a guy like brad stevens would either want to change, or not be able to work within the culture K created for this program. Duke is what everyone aspires to be. You think a guy like that is going to come in and be all like "forget that!" I'm sure some coaches would...the kind that we likely wouldn't want to hire in the first place. Wanting to run a program with the same culture as K has is a requirement for the job, because it's the right way to run a program, not because K did it.

Another consideration is that when a new HC comes in, there's a good chance he's picking his assistants. So there's a good chance Jon and Nolan and the others have to find work elsewhere anyway, and the coaching staff will not be so in-house as K's has generally been, so the feeling will change somewhat anyway as there will be new blood on the bench either way.

I'm generally not a fan of coaches naming their successors, but I think K's evaluation of any potential candidate would be very important. That said, when you give up the reigns, you give up the reigns. It would be a shame to not explore a coaching talent simply because they were not a player at duke. Does K also get a say how long that person can linger if they underperform? How long can he dictate how the department runs the program? I don't pretend that coach is malicious or anything, just that there are reasons that, say, a corporate board generally appoints a new CEO, and not an outgoing CEO.

[Jeffrey]

I have the same hope for Bobby Hurley. Bobby coming home would be AMAZING!

I definitely think that’s possible and believe Bobby will be successful as a HC. I’d love to see him next (in 10-12 years).

[Steven43]

I have the same hope for Bobby Hurley. Bobby coming home would be AMAZING!

Can’t disagree with this, if Stevens and Snyder won’t take the job. Love Bobby and his burning will to win.

[DukeFanNotNBAFan]

I definitely think that’s possible and believe Bobby will be successful as a HC. I’d love to see him next (in 10-12 years).

I don’t understand why. His teams have talent, but most often are a train wreck on the court. Very little team basketball being played. If we have to go former Duke person I’d go with Brey.