Wojo’s future

[RetireVergaJersey]

Do you think he will sit out a year and get a head coaching job next year?

[Owen Meany]

Scheyer could use someone with head coaching experience on the bench. I realize some may consider this a non-starter for various reasons, but he wouldn`t be the first head coach to return to an assistant position (not even the first at Duke). I can think of worse option then returning to a place you love, know well, have friends, etc. And there is no guarantee a head coaching job will be offered in the near future.

[JasonEvans]

It is worth noting that Wojo was an assistant when Scheyer was a player and they overlapped as assistant coaches for a year as well (Scheyer was a special assistant in 2013 and then made a full assistant coach in 2014 when Wojo left). So, they know each other quite well.

I have no inside info, but I would think it is decently likely that Wojo might consider rehabbing his coaching career a bit while also being a senior voice next to young newbie Scheyer in 2022.

[Pghdukie]

Capel returned to Duke as an assistant after years as Head Coach.

[MChambers]

It is worth noting that Wojo was an assistant when Scheyer was a player and they overlapped as assistant coaches for a year as well (Scheyer was a special assistant in 2013 and then made a full assistant coach in 2014 when Wojo left). So, they know each other quite well.

I have no inside info, but I would think it is decently likely that Wojo might consider rehabbing his coaching career a bit while also being a senior voice next to young newbie Scheyer in 2022.

Good point. I'd add that Duke is going to be a big team next year and we all know that Wojo is a tremendous big man coach. :-)

[CDu]

It is worth noting that Wojo was an assistant when Scheyer was a player and they overlapped as assistant coaches for a year as well (Scheyer was a special assistant in 2013 and then made a full assistant coach in 2014 when Wojo left). So, they know each other quite well.

I have no inside info, but I would think it is decently likely that Wojo might consider rehabbing his coaching career a bit while also being a senior voice next to young newbie Scheyer in 2022.

Capel returned to Duke as an assistant after years as Head Coach.

The main difference here is that Wojo had a coach/player relationship with Scheyer previously, whereas Capel was a player/coach relationship with Coach K. So Wojo would have to be willing to more or less flip the relationship dynamic in reporting to Scheyer rather than vice versa. Whereas with Capel, he was always reporting up to Coach K.

Not saying it's impossible, but it feels a bit unlikely. I DO think that it would be great for Scheyer to have an assistant coach with head coaching experience, but I'm just not sure if that dynamic with Wojo would work. It would take a lot of pride swallowing on Wojo's part, and it might be a bit uncomfortable for Scheyer too.

[sagegrouse]

The main difference here is that Wojo had a coach/player relationship with Scheyer previously, whereas Capel was a player/coach relationship with Coach K. So Wojo would have to be willing to more or less flip the relationship dynamic in reporting to Scheyer rather than vice versa. Whereas with Capel, he was always reporting up to Coach K.

Not saying it's impossible, but it feels a bit unlikely. I DO think that it would be great for Scheyer to have an assistant coach with head coaching experience, but I'm just not sure if that dynamic with Wojo would work. It would take a lot of pride swallowing on Wojo's part, and it might be a bit uncomfortable for Scheyer too.

Given the terms of his contract with Marquette, which he signed in 2019 to last through the 2023-24 season, I don't expect Wojo to return to coaching as an assistant any time soon.

[Bluedog]

Maybe in the sporting world people don't care as much, but in the "normal world" one consideration is moving your family. Wojo has two sons, maybe they've gotten comfortable being in Milwaukee the last 7 years. I'm not sure how old they are admittedly. No idea how big of a factor that is/isn't, but it's got to be SOME factor. The greatness of the opportunity certainly would be a component of that decision-making as well, of course. Maybe it's not worth it for him to going back to being an Assistant to uproot his family, or maybe it is. Don't think he needs the money. Would love him back.

[budwom]

Given the terms of his contract with Marquette, I expect Wojo to do other stuff or take it easy for the next year.

yes, and I like who we presently have.

[JasonEvans]

yes, and I like who we presently have.

Yes, but next year we will need one more assistant coach when Scheyer moves up.

To be clear, I am not saying Wojo is my preferred choice for the gig, but if he was interested, there are a lot of plusses to it.

[DangerDevil]

The main difference here is that Wojo had a coach/player relationship with Scheyer previously, whereas Capel was a player/coach relationship with Coach K. So Wojo would have to be willing to more or less flip the relationship dynamic in reporting to Scheyer rather than vice versa. Whereas with Capel, he was always reporting up to Coach K.

Not saying it's impossible, but it feels a bit unlikely. I DO think that it would be great for Scheyer to have an assistant coach with head coaching experience, but I'm just not sure if that dynamic with Wojo would work. It would take a lot of pride swallowing on Wojo's part, and it might be a bit uncomfortable for Scheyer too.

Agree with your sentiment.

Additionally the fact Wojo is a young former head coach that is presumably looking to run his own program again adds another dynamic that I think would not be ideal and makes the pairing less likely. If there was someone like Phil Martelli and the role that he filled on Michigan’s staff, that seems like a better fit/dynamic.

[scottdude8]

It is worth noting that Wojo was an assistant when Scheyer was a player and they overlapped as assistant coaches for a year as well (Scheyer was a special assistant in 2013 and then made a full assistant coach in 2014 when Wojo left). So, they know each other quite well.

I have no inside info, but I would think it is decently likely that Wojo might consider rehabbing his coaching career a bit while also being a senior voice next to young newbie Scheyer in 2022.

Scheyer could use someone with head coaching experience on the bench. I realize some may consider this a non-starter for various reasons, but he wouldn`t be the first head coach to return to an assistant position (not even the first at Duke). I can think of worse option then returning to a place you love, know well, have friends, etc. And there is no guarantee a head coaching job will be offered in the near future.

The Juwan Howard model is a strong example in support of pairing a first time head coach with a top assistant who has head coaching experience. Obviously Phil Martelli (Howard's top assistant) has a lot more experience (and, quite frankly, success) than Wojo, or even Capel (if things at Pitt turn sour and he's on the market in 2022), so this isn't necessarily an apples-to-apples situation. But if we want to keep our assistant coaches "in the family", Wojo is the only candidate who would be available as of today. I think it is certainly something that should be strongly considered.

FWIW, the counter-argument to this (that since Wojo was himself Scheyer's coach there might be some problems with the underlying authority dynamics) does bear weight and would have to be something very explicitly addressed. For that reason I don't think it would be out of bounds to consider going outside the family to find this more experienced, authoritative voice if the right candidate is out there. But I have a sneaky suspicion that isn't going to happen.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Agree with your sentiment.

Additionally the fact Wojo is a young former head coach that is presumably looking to run his own program again adds another dynamic that I think would not be ideal and makes the pairing less likely. If there was someone like Phil Martelli and the role that he filled on Michigan’s staff, that seems like a better fit/dynamic.

A coach who left an ACC school on somewhat decent terms would be perfect. Herb Sendek is actually doing reasonably well at Santa Clara so likely isn't leaving there to be an assistant. I'll pass on Sidney Lowe, though he does have NBA experience. Larry Shyatt (a fellow Jew) would be great as he was most recently in the NBA, but he is 70. Pete Gillen is over 70. Al Skinner is about to turn 69. Assuming Cremins isn't coming back and hard pass on Seth Greenberg! Former Duke assistant Tim O'Toole was a head coach at a lower level for a while, but he is currently working for Capel.

[bundabergdevil]

Capel returned to Duke as an assistant after years as Head Coach.

This is reasonably common. Wade Phillips was the head coach of the bills and cowboys before returning to be a coordinator, as just one other example.

[sagegrouse]

A coach who left an ACC school on somewhat decent terms would be perfect. Herb Sendek is actually doing reasonably well at Santa Clara so likely isn't leaving there to be an assistant. I'll pass on Sidney Lowe, though he does have NBA experience. Larry Shyatt (a fellow Jew) would be great as he was most recently in the NBA, but he is 70. Pete Gillen is over 70. Al Skinner is about to turn 69. Assuming Cremins isn't coming back and hard pass on Seth Greenberg! Former Duke assistant Tim O'Toole was a head coach at a lower level for a while, but he is currently working for Capel.

You've come up with a list where Seth Greenberg is the least unattractive option.

[CDu]

The other thing to consider is that, unlike Howard and Ewing, Scheyer’s assistant experience is in college AND at the school he will be head coach. And he has been working with an older coach who has no doubt delegated more and more responsibility to his lead assistants in recent years. So he may not have quite as much need for an assistant with college head coaching experience.

I mean, I think it would still be valuable, but probably not as critical as it was for Howard.

[freshmanjs]

A coach who left an ACC school on somewhat decent terms would be perfect. Herb Sendek is actually doing reasonably well at Santa Clara so likely isn't leaving there to be an assistant. I'll pass on Sidney Lowe, though he does have NBA experience. Larry Shyatt (a fellow Jew) would be great as he was most recently in the NBA, but he is 70. Pete Gillen is over 70. Al Skinner is about to turn 69. Assuming Cremins isn't coming back and hard pass on Seth Greenberg! Former Duke assistant Tim O'Toole was a head coach at a lower level for a while, but he is currently working for Capel.

Dino Gaudio is available

[tbyers11]

Dino Gaudio is available

But will he be by next year? Not sure Duke or the ACC allows coaches that would be participating in a work-release program

[tommy]

A coach who left an ACC school on somewhat decent terms would be perfect. Herb Sendek is actually doing reasonably well at Santa Clara so likely isn't leaving there to be an assistant. I'll pass on Sidney Lowe, though he does have NBA experience. Larry Shyatt (a fellow Jew) would be great as he was most recently in the NBA, but he is 70. Pete Gillen is over 70. Al Skinner is about to turn 69. Assuming Cremins isn't coming back and hard pass on Seth Greenberg! Former Duke assistant Tim O'Toole was a head coach at a lower level for a while, but he is currently working for Capel.

If we're interested in a not-currently-working former Head Coach from outside the program, Skinner was a guy that I think Coach K liked and respected a lot. Yeah, he's 69 but Martelli was 64 when he took the Michigan assistant job so he's not that much older. But I would wonder about an older guy from outside and his fit with the Duke basketball culture. Maybe it wouldn't be an issue, I don't know.

If we're OK with an outside guy, and want to make a splash with a guy with major NBA cred, what about Jason Kidd? He wouldn't stay long as he wants back in an NBA top spot, but maybe he'd be interested in a high profile gig at Duke for a few years? If Kidd were to come, adding to Scheyer, C-Well and Nolan, I'd think our recruiting would be in pretty, pretty, pretty good shape . . .

But like a few others, I have a feeling we're not going outside the family in any event.

[CDu]

If we're interested in a not-currently-working former Head Coach from outside the program, Skinner was a guy that I think Coach K liked and respected a lot. Yeah, he's 69 but Martelli was 64 when he took the Michigan assistant job so he's not that much older. But I would wonder about an older guy from outside and his fit with the Duke basketball culture. Maybe it wouldn't be an issue, I don't know.

If we're OK with an outside guy, and want to make a splash with a guy with major NBA cred, what about Jason Kidd? He wouldn't stay long as he wants back in an NBA top spot, but maybe he'd be interested in a high profile gig at Duke for a few years? If Kidd were to come, adding to Scheyer, C-Well and Nolan, I'd think our recruiting would be in pretty, pretty, pretty good shape . . .

But like a few others, I have a feeling we're not going outside the family in any event.

I can't see Kidd taking a college assistant job. He MIGHT be interested in a college head coach job (though since I don't think he has a degree, that might not be an option in many places), but I'd imagine it would be more to his liking to be an NBA assistant. Those guys are WAY higher on the NBA head coach pecking order than a college assistant, even one as well known as Kidd. I'd give as close to zero percent chance of Kidd taking ANY college job, let alone an assistant job.

And I'm not sure he would necessarily provide the type of experience a rookie head coach would need in college. He coached briefly in the NBA and never in college, so he's not going to be even as familiar with college in-game situations as Scheyer is. He isn't a real Xs and Os head coach. And he doesn't have day-to-day program-running experience to help out there. And he hasn't been NBA relevant for years now, and while he was a big NBA star for most of his career, he wasn't the type of transcendent, iconic player whose rep is likely to carry on well past his playing days like Jordan or LeBron or Kobe. So it's unclear if he'd add much on the recruiting trail either.

All that said, I agree that the hire will likely be in-house. My guess is Carrawell gets promoted and they add someone with Duke ties on Nolan Smith's level of the coaching tree.