UNLV. The post I was responding to was about Kevin Kruger's hiring by T.J. Otzelberger at UNLV, where his dad was at the time (and still is) the 2nd winningest coach of all time. Another key piece of evidence, the following sentence also specifically mentions UNLV in relation to that hire.
Illini Basketball 2025-2026
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Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
I was too young to remember Kruger (first thing I can actually really remember watching with my dad was our 2001 Elite Eight loss to Arizona), but my dad always talks about what a breath of fresh air he was for the program. Given the heights we were able to climb back to in the years after he left, I would say that is objectively true! Plus, as native Peorians, we love that it was that special group that really helped us get back on the map.
skyIdub
"I can't tell you. Secret."
I know. Instead he chooses these 1:1 matchups which are enjoyable but not as fun for fans like me who need an excuse to go to Maui, Vegas, etc.
I wish he would schedule the pre season tournaments instead
The early regular season MTEs and tourneys are not very beneficial to many teams. You usually end up playing 3-4 games on very little-no rest, get very little prep for your next opponent and kinda just have to hope things are going right for you at that time or you might end up like UConn and others and lose games against bad teams. People made fun of Hurley and his comments after Maui last year but some of what he was saying did make sense. Unless you're winning 3 of the games in the event, it may just end up being a net negative overall.
Kruger is very underrated.
People seem to overlook him
26 ncaa's in 31 years is pretty incredible at 5 different schools
People seem to overlook him
26 ncaa's in 31 years is pretty incredible at 5 different schools
RabidDawgClassic
- Los Angeles, CA
Literally zero people here have called or insinuated that the Kruger hire at Illinois is a nepo hire.
Lol..I found the same thing..overpaid but oh well
MDchicago
- Lake Norman NC
After improbably taking Florida to the Final 4 in the 90's with da Meat Hook together with taking the 1998 Illini (whose leading scorer was a top 200 throw-in to land a top 40 HS teammate who ended up transferring out) to a B10 championship, no further evidence of Lon's coaching chops is needed.... How many coaches have left college to directly become a NBA head coach?
And a good guy to boot. I still have my Lon Kruger signature Illini tie (coaches v. cancer) ....
May be right, may be wrong, can't recall names from awhile back: previous coach at Butler and previous coach at Miznoz.
Brad Steven's and Quinn Snyder
Off the top of my head there was also
Pitino (Celtics)
Calipari (Nets)
Tim Floyd (Bulls)
Fred Hoiberg (Bulls)
Billy Donovan (Thunder/Bulls)
The Bulls have a rich history of hiring former college guys…which has never led directly into any of the good parts of Bulls history.
I hear you. But l will never forget our comeback against UCLA in Vegas.
pruman91
- interviewing new NL's daily....I really really am
maybe he's working too much on his 3 point shooting ?......................lol...............
I made a longer comment a while ago but it's something like 18 of the last 20 national champions have played in an early season MTE or tourney(most of them won them).
So I completely disagree that they are not beneficial to most teams. It gives your team a march madness/NCAA tournament like scenario with really no downside. Who cares if you lose early in the season? Learn from it and get better by March.
UConn simply wasn't that good last year plus Memphis and Dayton were legitimately a similar caliber of team.
On the other hand they also hired Doug Collins who was a college assistant and then broadcaster before joining the Bulls.
Collins hired Phil Jackson as an assistant and retained Tex Winter(Winter was hired by Krause so may not have been Collins choice). So college coaching hire kind of led to the best part of Bulls history.
They tried to repeat that with Hoiberg when they fired him and promoted his assistant. Unfortunately, it was Jim Boylan who they promoted and they didn't have Jordan and Pippen. Maybe they will get lucky with one of Donovan's assistants(maybe Dan Craig will be a hof head coach).
IlliniKat91
- Chicago, IL
The comments are equally brutal
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