John Lucas As Head Coach

Pure conjecture here, but just thinking about how private AD Patterson is and what would be a potentially big-splash-off-radar hire. Lucas has a ton of NBA coaching experience and tangibles that make him a viable candidate, save the obvious lack of specific NCAA coaching experience. He has close Patterson ties, close booster ties, ridiculous recruiting ties and upper echelon basketball skills training cred. He's someone no one has mentioned and I wouldn't be completely shocked if his name pops up at some point soon. I just read too that he may have a significant influence over Thon Makers decision.

 

God No. He would be a train wreck.

And he has already expressed interest in the job.

 

If Patterson does go the NBA route, I'd rather Lucas than Avery.

 

I don't want anyone connected to the NBA. But Avery could be a fun hire since that would mean his some comes to Texas from A&M and maybe causes some of those top recruits to decommit from Aggie to Texas.

 

Just what we need - another element of pro sports at UT.

Hasn't Patterson forced enough of that on us to learn that this is collegiate athletics? Or was.

His butchery in handling the separation of Barnes shows again how inept he is. Can we have a "do-over" on AD selection?

 

I hope the new Texas BB HC retains and promotes Jai Lucas. That was a Barnes hire but I don't think Jai's loyalties are to Barnes as much as they are The University. Jai's efforts haven't really paid any dividends in two recruiting seasons, but, I imagine he's just getting acclimated. His obvious connection to John Lucas is a HUGE angle on recruiting.

 

Wow, just wow. Apparently you weren't born yet when McCombs hired Lucas to coach the Spurs and what a total, complete, incompetent clown that guy was.

 

I think it would be a mistake to hire someone who has never coached or recruited college players; never worked and represented a university. Big risk. Unnecessary risk.

 

You mean the two seasons with the Spurs, both of which he made it to the playoffs, one of which he reached the Western Conference semi-finals? Totally incompetent indeed.

 

Better to look at his overall coaching record. Take a look at his record at Philadelphia and Cleveland after being fired by the Spurs. Something like 80 - 200. There's a reason he's never been a head coach again in the NBA and not sought out by college teams.

 

Agree totally. College and the NBA are two different animals. We need a head coach who knows how to recruit and coach college basketball.

 

Yes, that is exactly what I mean. In 1992-93, he took over from Jerry Tarkanian (9-11) and went 39-22 the rest of the season, and reached the Western Conference semi-finals. The next year the Spurs finished 55-27 but lost in the first round of playoffs. He took over a team loaded with talent lead by David Robinson, Terry Cummings, Willie Anderson, Sean Elliot, Dale Ellis, Sidney Green, J.R. Smith and Sleepy Floyd, yet got himself fired by the guy that hired him. One of his most bizarre, dysfunctional acts was allowing the players to run the time out huddle while Lucas stood by and watched. Absolutely totally incompetent from someone that sat courtside and watched that train wreck.

Exactly.

 

By all accounts, Smart has been the only candidate considered. Jon Lucas is someone the new coach should have a great relationship though because he could have a major impact on the type of talent funneled through Austin

 

^^^YES. We need to retain Jai Lucas and promote him to the bench also.

 

I am hesitant about keeping Jai on the bench for one of two reasons........... 1. most coaches don't land on a stage such as Texas for their first major D-1 job. 2.....LOYALTY. That's typically a primary concern of most head coaches in a new and unfamiliar place. Conventional thinking says that Shaka would probably keep Lanier on his staff because he needs someone who knows the area and recruiting connections. I don't know that it would be wise to keep 2 holdovers when there are only 3 spots available

 

It's just wishful thinking that Jai would somehow appeal to his dad to funnel recruits at us.

Lanier and Shaka go back to UF so that's a no brainer he'd stay.