Welcome to Duke, Kara Lawson!

[throatybeard]

I don't know what "emotional intelligence" is,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_intelligence?wprov=sfla1

[devildeac]

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!

And Meagher spits in your face.

[CameronBornAndBred]

GoDuke has her bio up.

https://goduke.com/sports/womens-bas...ra-lawson/4009

And in her own words, she says

In a statement, Lawson called it “a dream come true" for someone who “wanted to be a coach since I was a kid.”

“Everybody I spoke with and had a chance to interact with, I immediately felt a great connection,” Lawson said. "It wasn’t a decision based on emotion, but there was a lot of emotion involved in it because of how excited I am and how ready I am to get started and to work with the players.”

https://www.wralsportsfan.com/duke-h...team/19184553/

[Kedsy]

While that may be true, it does not seem to extend to not going to the top handful of women's basketball programs. Duke is not such a program right now, and such a player would have no reason to risk committing to a team that has just changed coaches and is not a lock to make the tournament.

While what you're saying is mostly true, I believe every top program wasn't a top program when it got its first big recruit. For example, South Carolina wasn't a "top handful" program when A'Ja Wilson committed, nor was Baylor a top handful program when they snagged Brittney Griner (though admittedly both programs were on the way up).

Also, a good recruiter could probably spin Duke as a top handful program going through a lull. You never know what convinces a 17-year-old kid. I'm not saying Azzi will come to Duke, but if it were automatic that the top talent only went to the top programs, the top programs would never change (and they clearly do, except for your beloved Huskies).

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

What a great way to get the Celtics-to-Blue Devils coaching chain started!

[miramar]

While what you're saying is mostly true, I believe every top program wasn't a top program when it got its first big recruit. For example, South Carolina wasn't a "top handful" program when A'Ja Wilson committed, nor was Baylor a top handful program when they snagged Brittney Griner (though admittedly both programs were on the way up).

Also, a good recruiter could probably spin Duke as a top handful program going through a lull. You never know what convinces a 17-year-old kid. I'm not saying Azzi will come to Duke, but if it were automatic that the top talent only went to the top programs, the top programs would never change (and they clearly do, except for your beloved Huskies).

While WBB is not what it used to be, it's still Duke basketball and as long as the staff can tell recruits that happy days are here again, they will get top players interested. And once they get to campus, the school will sell itself and a good number will want to spend four years in Durham. After all, that beats the heck out of Waco TX, Columbia SC, College Station TX, etc. Not to mention that Muffet has retired, Luigi is 66, and Duke has just hired a very dynamic and charismatic young woman straight out of the NBA who can sell herself, the program, and the school.

With the huge talent differential in women's basketball, Duke just has to pick up one top ten player, or a couple of top twenty players, and the rest will take care of itself.

[uh_no]

What a great way to get the Celtics-to-Blue Devils coaching chain started!

while brad stevens is undoubtedly my #1 (and i'm sure many here), the departure of K will undoubtedly be on different terms from P...he undoubtedly will have more of an influence in who the department hires to replace him, and he is adamant it should come from within the family.

For better or wrose, it seems to take the failure of the succeeding coach for the department to start to look elsewhere. UNC and Uconn are two big examples.

So for better or worse, I have a hard time imagine duke MBB next head coach is not in the program, and there is value to that. So if that's the case, I think Jon is my #1.

[heyman25]

Another classy tweet.


Gail Goestenkors
@gailgoes10
Congrats Kara! Wishing you all the best!
@karalawson20

GG, always a class act.

Kevin White made a fantastic choice . Thanks to Steve Pagliuca and his son Nick as well.

[Duke76]

What a great way to get the Celtics-to-Blue Devils coaching chain started!

Brilliant post...just getting ready to make it but saw yours...5 years from now...who knows!

[uh_no]

a bit more balanced article from the chronicle today rather than the, forgive me, nonsense from yesterday:

https://www.dukechronicle.com/articl...nd-new-heights

[CameronBornAndBred]

Graham Hays has a good article up, not only on Lawson, but at the state of NCAA women's coaching in general, and where it's headed.

https://www.espn.com/womens-college-...ration-coaches

[53n206]

a bit more balanced article from the chronicle today rather than the, forgive me, nonsense from yesterday:

https://www.dukechronicle.com/articl...nd-new-heights

Excellent analysis. I think many of our members will agree.

[OldPhiKap]

a bit more balanced article from the chronicle today rather than the, forgive me, nonsense from yesterday:

https://www.dukechronicle.com/articl...nd-new-heights

Excellent analysis. I think many of our members will agree.

Thanks for sharing, agree.

(and I won’t get on the student reporter who wrote yesterday’s article too hard -- keep at it, Em!)

[-jk]

Thanks for sharing, agree.

(and I won’t get on the student reporter who wrote yesterday’s article too hard -- keep at it, Em!)

C'mon - what grade would you give the student reporter?

-jk

[OldPhiKap]

C'mon - what grade would you give the student reporter?

-jk

“You must spread some Comments around before commenting on -jk again.”

I literally chortled at this. Sincere props!

[moonpie23]

The New Era Begins !! Welcome coach !!!!!

[MartyClark]

C'mon - what grade would you give the student reporter?

-jk

"E" for effort.

[devildeac]

C'mon - what grade would you give the student reporter?

-jk

How about 9F?

[ohioguy2]

C'mon - what grade would you give the student reporter?

-jk

Certainly a participation ribbon would be appropriate.

[SupaDave]

while brad stevens is undoubtedly my #1 (and i'm sure many here), the departure of K will undoubtedly be on different terms from P...he undoubtedly will have more of an influence in who the department hires to replace him, and he is adamant it should come from within the family.

For better or wrose, it seems to take the failure of the succeeding coach for the department to start to look elsewhere. UNC and Uconn are two big examples.

So for better or worse, I have a hard time imagine duke MBB next head coach is not in the program, and there is value to that. So if that's the case, I think Jon is my #1.

Ridiculously off topic - but I think it's Hurley. If K could be reincarnated - it's Hurley.

But from what I've seen from Nolan of late, don't be surprised if he's not in the running.