The Illinois Coaching Search

PrudenceJuris · Mar 17, 2017

InterimLoyalty said:
Kedric Prince‏ @KedPrince4 3m3 minutes ago

#illini fans don't count this guy out just yet, Monty Williams

Don't know if he's viable or not, but imagine this recruiting pitch to Mark Smith: "I was a first round draft choice. Spent nine years in the NBA. Was an executive with the San Antonio Spurs. Was the head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans. I'm on the staff of USA basketball. I've coached Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul. I know everybody there is to know in the NBA. If your goal is to play professional basketball I can help you."

UofIChE06 · Mar 17, 2017

Second and Chalmers said:
I've heard him mentioned for Cleveland State, North Texas and Duquesne.

It would be pretty cool for me if he ended up at Duquesne since it is in my backyard. I would go to a game in some Illini gear. Contrary to popular opinion I don't think Groce is a bad coach. He ultimately failed at UI but it wasn't for lack of trying. Couple things break his way and it could be very different. For example, just think if Meyers stayed that first year. Any question they beat Miami and get at least to the S16? Could change the trajectory completely and there are a lot of those things in Groce's tenure.

EJ33 · Mar 17, 2017

PrudenceJuris said:
Don't know if he's viable or not, but imagine this recruiting pitch to Mark Smith: "I was a first round draft choice. Spent nine years in the NBA. Was an executive with the San Antonio Spurs. Was the head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans. I'm on the staff of USA basketball. I've coached Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul. I know everybody there is to know in the NBA. If your goal is to play professional basketball I can help you."

This is exactly why I think Monty would be a tremendous recruiter.

TCTORNADO · Mar 17, 2017

This is an excellent resume of Monty Williams.

https://www.allamericanspeakers.com/celebritytalentbios/Monty+Williams

Smacko · Mar 17, 2017

EJ33 said:
There are all sorts of reasons that UCLA is a better job, but to me the most important is that recruiting at UCLA is A LOT easier. Name a recent coach at UCLA that has struggled to land 5 star talent. That's right - there isn't one.

That's reason enough to stay.

Exactly. It's a lot easier to sell kids on the glitz and glamour of LA than it is on Bloomington.

The Worm · Mar 17, 2017

Alford makes $2.6m. I can count an additional 2.6 million reasons why someone would head back to Bloomington. Given that he was somewhat on the hot seat before this year, including a $7+ million buyout, I wouldn't be surprised to see them allow him to walk.

InterimLoyalty · Mar 17, 2017

PrudenceJuris said:
Don't know if he's viable or not, but imagine this recruiting pitch to Mark Smith: "I was a first round draft choice. Spent nine years in the NBA. Was an executive with the San Antonio Spurs. Was the head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans. I'm on the staff of USA basketball. I've coached Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul. I know everybody there is to know in the NBA. If your goal is to play professional basketball I can help you."

THIS :thumb:

UofIChE06 · Mar 17, 2017

Smacko said:
He is at UCLA which has just as much history as Indiana, so I don't get why people think he would be that keen to make the move. He is at a high profile school. He is living in LA rather than Bloomington. He has the Ball brothers on the hook. The PAC-12 isn't that strong, so he has a good chance to have continued success. There are a bunch of reasons to stay, plus I imagine UCLA could match IU dollar for dollar unless they make an offer that is absolutely insane.

Well he is from and a legend in Indiana so there is that. I get all the points you bring up but how many times do coaches end up at their alma mater? Quite often if they can and the job level matches their career level. Nothing says UCLA is so far superior in the coaching rungs that he wouldn't rather be somewhere he is revered.

Calvin · Mar 17, 2017

jcgoldie said:
If you lay it out on paper it makes perfect sense:

Much clearer! Thanks

illini80 · Mar 17, 2017

UofIChE06 said:
Well he is from and a legend in Indiana so there is that. I get all the points you bring up but how many times do coaches end up at their alma mater? Quite often if they can and the job level matches their career level. Nothing says UCLA is so far superior in the coaching rungs that he wouldn't rather be somewhere he is revered.

It all depends on what he wants I guess, but it seems a natural fit to me. As you say, he is a LEGEND in Indiana. LA is a pro-sports town. If you want to be the center of your universe, Bloomington is the place to be.

sacraig · Mar 17, 2017

Ulysses Everett McGill said:
About every 500 posts or so the words "Sean Miller" appear on this thread. I'm not ignoring these signs. Sean and younger bro Archie want to coach against each other on a regular basis -- the sibling competitive rivalry goes back to bro on bro fights in the driveway, Archie's resentment that Sean got the cool Irish name, yada, yada -- and Sean is tired of sunshine and no winters in the desert. So they've engineered a path where one takes the IU gig and the other "settles" for UI. It's decided in a game of rock, scissors, paper. They've secretly had Delany agree to schedule home and aways for the next 5 years, and already cut a deal with a certain beer company for a piece of the action in promoting pre-game Miller Time events at each campus. Remember you heard it here first.

#bidingmytime

I can see Sean Miller's "office" from my office window. I'll go over there during lunch and ask around. Maybe I can convince a secretary or someone to confirm your story, after all, they generally are all-seeing and are the real glue that make things work.

Fighter of the Nightman · Mar 17, 2017

Guess I'm the only blind optimist that thinks Keatts meeting with NC State MIGHT spell good news for us, but I'm on vacation in St. Barths, so I'm artificially positive.

Ulysses Everett McGill · Mar 17, 2017

Illinoise said:
I trust Josh Whitman and his connections here. If it's Monty Williams, there must be overwhelming evidence that Monty will be able to seriously upgrade our recruiting. He wouldn't be getting the job unless that were true.

IF it's Monty and assuming JW has an MO (based on the FB model), one might assume a lot of work is being done now on putting together a high quality staff to work with him, including, possibly, an heir apparent in the event Monty runs back to the NBA at some point.

Second and Chalmers · Mar 17, 2017

IlliniRunIn07 said:
Monty could come in and do terrible. On the flip side, we could rehire Groce tomorrow and win the B1G the next 10 years. These things aren't an exact science, but while a lot of people are on the Keatts Hype Train, you can call me the Count of Monty Cristo.

Ulysses Everett McGill · Mar 17, 2017

sacraig said:
I can see Sean Miller's "office" from my office window. I'll go over there during lunch and ask around. Maybe I can convince a secretary or someone to confirm your story, after all, they generally are all-seeing and are the real glue that make things work.

Have them check for Miller Beer comp stuff about the premises; that'd be another tell.

matt1all · Mar 17, 2017

illinois_hustle said:
Yes but he's got to be able to coach. Any evidence of that?

Come on guys

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GoIllini40 · Mar 17, 2017

illinois_hustle said:
Yes but he's got to be able to coach. Any evidence of that?

I watch the NBA and always liked Monty. He didn't coach very good teams but he always got the most out of them. I think he'll translate well to the college game.

Second and Chalmers · Mar 17, 2017

illinois_hustle said:
Yes but he's got to be able to coach. Any evidence of that?

The USA Basketball staff for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics:

Coach K, Jim Boeheim, Tom Thibodeau, and Monty Williams.

Is Monty the designated younger guy there to be a bridge to the players? Absolutely. But the Vinny Del Negro's of the world ain't getting that job.

sacraig · Mar 17, 2017

Ulysses Everett McGill said:
Have them check for Miller Beer comp stuff about the premises; that'd be another tell.

Hold on, let me get a pen and paper to write all this down. This is some good stuff.

Bogey99 · Mar 17, 2017

illinois_hustle said:
Yes but he's got to be able to coach. Any evidence of that?

He was selected as an assistant for USA Basketball, where the pool of candidates is virtually every NBA and NCAA coach. I doubt he'd be selected if he didn't have solid coaching chops, regardless of his teams' records.

EJ33 · Mar 17, 2017

illinois_hustle said:
Yes but he's got to be able to coach. Any evidence of that?

Plenty of people have addressed this point in this thread - it's all there for you.

sdfidaho · Mar 17, 2017

illinois_hustle said:
Yes but he's got to be able to coach. Any evidence of that?

:faint:

EJ33 · Mar 17, 2017

The Worm said:
Alford makes $2.6m. I can count an additional 2.6 million reasons why someone would head back to Bloomington. Given that he was somewhat on the hot seat before this year, including a $7+ million buyout, I wouldn't be surprised to see them allow him to walk.

Good point. I wouldn't either. Would Indiana really throw $4-5M at Alford? I sure hope so.

Roundball Shaman · Mar 17, 2017

Fighter of the Nightman said:
No one here is saying we have as good of a job as IU (or are they?), but that's only somewhat relevant. IU is a Blue Blood, we obviously aren't.

Yes, some of us believe that the Illini job is as good as Indiana (depends on what your definition of GOOD is). Indiana is a FORMER Blue Blood. The Illini have been on the cusp of being a Blue Blue in good years and have great current potential.That makes the two programs at least equal right now.

Second and Chalmers · Mar 17, 2017

We're getting snookered by nonsense Twitter here gang.

I'm not sure if this is better or worse than thinking we're going to get the Miller/Bennett/Marshall group based on silence.