UMass, Brown, and Now ...

[burnspbesq]

... Bucknell. Pat Flannery resigned this morning.

Those are three jobs that I think have to be attractive to Wojo and Collins. If they don't make a move soon, they will pass their sell-by dates.

Time for the fledglings to leave the nest.

[roywhite]

... Bucknell. Pat Flannery resigned this morning.

Those are three jobs that I think have to be attractive to Wojo and Collins. If they don't make a move soon, they will pass their sell-by dates.

Time for the fledglings to leave the nest.

Makes sense to me:

1. I like Wojo and Collins, but wouldn't mind seeing some fresh faces on our staff, maybe someone who hasn't played or worked at Duke.

2. If K's eventual replacement will be someone from the Duke family (and it almost certainly will be IMO), I'd like for it to be someone who has had success as a head coach elsewhere. Wojo or Collins, if they go off and do well at 1 or 2 head coaching jobs elsewhere, would have strong credentials for the Duke job in time.

[geraldsneighbor]

Dawk will be the next Duke coach. IMO, in the future K will make Paulus an assistant. Greg's mentioned alot of his desire to become a future head coach, and I think he fits the criteria set by Collins and Wojo. They both were players who fed off of the crowd and were very heady. I think Paulus would be a good fit. If one leaves now though, maybe Chris Carrawell would be an assistant because he is already back in the fold with conditioning I believe.

[pratt '04]

If one leaves now though, maybe Chris Carrawell would be an assistant because he is already back in the fold with conditioning I believe.

I would guess that next in line for an assistant coaching position is Chris Spatola who is a Graduate Assistant/Head Team Manager/Coach K's son-in-law.

[Cameron]

I hope not. I love the passion and intensity these guys bring to the program. I mean, if it's what Chris and Steve truly would want, then great. I'm all for that. But, if they don't flight (which they won't, IMO), then I'll be happy.

I love our staff, no matter how badly some knock them. First class all the way.

[matrix1686]

I would also like to see the successor for Coach K have head coaching experience so I agree that Collins or Wojo should go ahead and start working their way up the ranks. Plus, I would also like to see some new blood.

Somebody who isn't mentioned as a possible assistant in the future but should be is Christian Laettner. I listened to two Laettner radio interviews lately, one posted on this board and the other on the Dan Patrick show, and in one of them he said he was interested in getting into coaching. I think he meant more toward the pros but I think it would be great to see him on the Duke bench. He could really teach a thing or two to our big men and maybe even help give our players an attitude change. In any case it's probably a long long shot, but I think it would be interesting none-the-less.

[Indoor66]

I would also like to see the successor for Coach K have head coaching experience so I agree that Collins or Wojo should go ahead and start working their way up the ranks. Plus, I would also like to see some new blood.

Somebody who isn't mentioned as a possible assistant in the future but should be is Christian Laettner. I listened to two Laettner radio interviews lately, one posted on this board and the other on the Dan Patrick show, and in one of them he said he was interested in getting into coaching. I think he meant more toward the pros but I think it would be great to see him on the Duke bench. He could really teach a thing or two to our big men and maybe even help give our players an attitude change. In any case it's probably a long long shot, but I think it would be interesting none-the-less.

He could coach the guards.

[tbyers11]

I don't have a link, but when Coach K was announced as Olympic coach I swear I remember him saying that the assistant coaching staff would remain intact through the 2008 Olympics to ensure that things were running smoothly in Durham. While few things are ever set in stone, I think we'll have the same coaching staff for at least one more year.

Also, IMO, both Collins and Wojo should be able to land higher-profile jobs than Brown or Bucknell for their first head coaching position. A school like UMass, however, does seem like a more reasonable fit.

[JasonEvans]

I don't have a link, but when Coach K was announced as Olympic coach I swear I remember him saying that the assistant coaching staff would remain intact through the 2008 Olympics to ensure that things were running smoothly in Durham. While few things are ever set in stone, I think we'll have the same coaching staff for at least one more year.

Also, IMO, both Collins and Wojo should be able to land higher-profile jobs than Brown or Bucknell for their first head coaching position. A school like UMass, however, does seem like a more reasonable fit.

Bingo-- from what I understand, there will be no coaching turnover in Durham until next summer. This kind of speculation is pointless.

--Jason "I agree that Brown and Bucknell are not great starting jobs for Wojo and Collins too" Evans

[roywhite]

--Jason "I agree that Brown and Bucknell are not great starting jobs for Wojo and Collins too" Evans

...though Bucknell has had better success against Kansas in the NCAA tournament than some teams we know.

[Franzez]

Im surprised Bobby Hurley has never gotten into coaching,his brother and father are great HS coaches but Bobby seems like he doesnt want to ever coach.

I wouldnt be surprised if Jason Williams gets into coaching,the guy seems to have good basketball knowledge and could be a motivator for some young guys with how his career turned out.

[duketaylor]

tbyers and Jason are correct, they will remain thru the 08-09 season. Then...

[matrix1686]

I definitely could understand Coach K getting commitments from the staff to stay through this year with the Olympics, but UMass probably would be a good job for either Wojo or Collins. Not saying they would get it if they tried, but it obviously seems like a better fit than Bucknell. It is probably good that they are staying though, because losing an assistant coach could really hurt the program badly with the Olympics going on.

In any case, I agree that J-Will could be a great assistant. I bet he would probably be an amazing recruiter. You know a lot of kids right now probably still remember his career at Duke and winning the national championship.

Hurley would be a good one too, but I can't see that happening. He seems to really be into the horse business and being out of the limelight.

[Edouble]

I don't really see Jason Williams as being great coaching material. The best coaches are generally the less talented players that had to have a great knowledge of the game coupled with toughness to get by against more talented counterparts. Most star coaches weren't star players. Case in point: Isiah just got fired today.

[roywhite]

I don't really see Jason Williams as being great coaching material. The best coaches are generally the less talented players that had to have a great knowledge of the game coupled with toughness to get by against more talented counterparts. Most star coaches weren't star players. Case in point: Isiah just got fired today.

Well, perhaps...Lenny Wilkins is the all-time winningest coach in NBA history, and was a Hall of Fame player. The Wizard of Westwood, John Wooden, was a great player. Closer to home, are you saying that our own Johnny Dawkins is not cut out for coaching?

As to Jason Williams, I personally don't know what his interest in coaching is, or how good he would be. But I wouldn't rule him out.

[Edouble]

Well, perhaps...Lenny Wilkins is the all-time winningest coach in NBA history, and was a Hall of Fame player. The Wizard of Westwood, John Wooden, was a great player. Closer to home, are you saying that our own Johnny Dawkins is not cut out for coaching?

As to Jason Williams, I personally don't know what his interest in coaching is, or how good he would be. But I wouldn't rule him out.

Yeah, there are exceptions for sure, but generally it's the Scott Skiles types more than the Magic Johnson types that do really well in coaching. Bird had a great run in Indiana too, but even Bird is a very cerebral player and not as atheletically gifted as Jordan, Pippen, or Isiah. I've heard that the All-Star types can't relate to their teams as a coach b/c they can't understand what it's like to be a normal player, ie Jordan's repeated "Just get it done you f*ggot" towards Kwame Brown. I think these guys that played at a level that was so much higher than everyone else can't understand how a normal player even approaches the game.

There is one other apsect about Jason Williams that makes me think he wouldn't be a very good coach. In post game interviews, etc., guys like Shane, Paulus, and Duhon always just had more of a presence, and a more powerful demeanor to me than Jason Williams. Jason was always sort of doing that squinty thing that he does and never really seemed to give off that sense of command and control that you want from your locker room leader. He definitely gave it off on the court, and maybe he could learn how to use it off the court, but it just seems like some of our other other guys have more natural leadership abilities.