Head Coach Candidates

Tough season and the coaching has played a role in that, but still don't think there are many coaches out there better than Coach L, even at his age. I know his time isn't too far away and the day will come when we'll need to find a replacement. I could see him hanging it up between now and when his current contract expires in 2027.

Now, If I were the AD, when college basketball season ends I'd go hire Ryan Pannone and groom him to be Coach L's successor. Ryan has coached all over the world, at all levels. Has connections throughout the basketball landscape, from HS and AAU, to Europe, Asia and all the way to the top, the NBA. In this, his first year at Alabama he's already paying major dividends for Coach Oats with his recruiting, player development and X's & O's. He's been handling the offensive game planning for Alabama and they sit at the top in offensive efficiency & ppg. Also, doesn't hurt that Ryan is a Tampa native and still has strong ties to the state.
 
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Shaka Smart would be near top of my list.

You can win ACC championships and get to a final 4 at Miami. It's been proven, and yes this job is attractive.
 
Pointless thread.

L is 74, not 75 and doesn't turn 75 until next season.

I can see him staying until he's about 78 so this can be revisited circa 2027....and we can all bring up Anthony Grant's name for the 10000th time....as that "young gun" that hasn't really done **** since his time at VCU....turns 60.
 
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Uh, please tell me of the last NBA assistant that thrived in college. Juwan Howard is currently torpedoing his alma mater and Mike Woodson is likely done at IU after this year
also, heat assistants generally stay bc theyre on a track to become an NBA HC or promoted from within. Spo will be taking over the riley role eventually and one of the assistants ( think its gonna be Quinn) will become the hC for the heat
 
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He needs to retire
I'm going to say something unpopular to you...but Coach L has done enough for this basketball program that he decides when he wants to leave/retire. Unless there's a massive scandal or he tells Radakovich he has a small ****** and his wife and kids are ugly, he's not getting fired. He's not gonna be "forced" into retirement, either. We can love it or hate it or somewhere in between, but that's the truth.

Given that, this is a majorly "cart before the horse" kinda thread on your part. We could toss all kinds of names out there. ****...a few years back when it looked like Coach L might be done and we may move on...I wanted the guy that's at Wake Forest now (Steve Forbes), and he's rebuilding that program pretty well...but had we made that move when I wanted it, the Elite 8 and Final Four seasons likely wouldn't have occurred. So we can all throw out names and be speculatory, but the truth remains Coach L isn't going anywhere soon unless he decides he wants to step down on his own terms.

In the words of Ric Flair:

 
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You have no way of knowing this, purely assumption

I also didn't say he would come if we did offer
He's from Wisconsin and has a top 5 team. He's had the most success in his career at smaller schools. Again, very low probability he'd ever leave Marquette unless it was the Wisconsin job itself.
 
This thread is way way premature and speculative but I've always wondered if L's son Jay would be in the mix whenever coach decides to hang it up.
 
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Tough season and the coaching has played a role in that, but still don't think there are many coaches out there better than Coach L, even at his age. I know his time isn't too far away and the day will come when we'll need to find a replacement. I could see him hanging it up between now and when his current contract expires in 2027.

Now, If I were the AD, when college basketball season ends I'd go hire Ryan Pannone and groom him to be Coach L's successor. Ryan has coached all over the world, at all levels. Has connections throughout the basketball landscape, from HS and AAU, to Europe, Asia and all the way to the top, the NBA. In this, his first year at Alabama he's already paying major dividends for Coach Oats with his recruiting, player development and X's & O's. He's been handling the offensive game planning for Alabama and they sit at the top in offensive efficiency & ppg. Also, doesn't hurt that Ryan is a Tampa native and still has strong ties to the state.

Very interesting background.


 
Pannone would be very interesting. Assuming we’re even in the process. Which we’re not.

Even if we were, would he leave Alabama on a lateral move? I doubt L demotes Bill (and doubt Bill leaves anytime soon). That would mean Kotie or DJ would have to go.

Just too many improbables here really.
 
This thread is way way premature and speculative but I've always wondered if L's son Jay would be in the mix whenever coach decides to hang it up.
Not sure how premature and speculative it is anymore. He's going to be 75 years old in the fall and being a HC in this day and age of college athletics is more grueling than at any point in history.

I'd always felt until very recently that he'd want to at least stick around through next year and have an opportunity to coach the incoming class, but he seems to be as frustrated and exacerbated as I've ever seen him - a far cry from his usually affable demeanor. I think it's probably something like 75/25 that he comes back next year, and it's very possible he returns under the caveat that next year is his last.

As for his son, I think we need to stop grasping at straws here and have some common sense. He's been approached but other schools in the past but always chose to remain in the NBA, so I highly doubt he'd make the move now when he could very well be an NBA HC in the next year or two.
 
My guess is he stays through the Boozers recruitment. If we strike out (and Bethea goes pro) I really don’t see him lasting past next year
 
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