At some point this season, we we realized that this spring was going to see an insane amount of player and coaching movement.
Part of it was simply Covid. Look how long it took Wake Forest to fire Danny Manning last season - and Wake was, we think, the only Power Five opening. What could you do? You really couldn’t do get a flight, much less do an interview. Things were much, much scarier a year ago.
This year so far, and this is just off the top of our heads so we’re probably missing some great jobs here, Texas, Oklahoma, Utah, Marquette, Indiana, Minnesota, Texas Tech, DePaul, Boston College, UNC just days ago and on Wednesday, Arizona opened up as Sean Miller was fired.
And that’s an exciting job for many people although Miller left the joint pretty filthy. The first thing that’ll have to happen is a massive clean up.
That may rule Josh Pastner out. A U of A grad, Pastner had a terrific year at Georgia Tech, but the school is on probation which might be a sensitive subject in Tucson right now.
So who else might be on the list?
Well one name is obvious even though it’s almost certain they won’t get him: Scott Drew.
Drew cleaned up an epic mess at Baylor when he got there: one player had murdered another and Dave Bliss tried to cover things up.
He’s shown he can build an amazing program, he’s widely seen as clean, and he’s a relentlessly nice guy. He’d be the ideal choice in many ways and would be a big hit in Tucson since he’d remind people a bit of Lute Olson. Just a bit, but still.
Also, his brother would be in Phoenix coaching Grand Canyon and his parents could move out if they wanted. Something to keep in mind.
It would probably take dynamite to get him out of Waco right now though.
Luke Walton was mentioned but has already said no thanks. Damon Stoudamire is at Pacific and he’s a former Olson player too.
Tommy Lloyd, Mark Few’s Gonzaga assistant, is possibly the best international recruiter in college basketball, may be another candidate.
Lute Olson’s grandson, Matt Brase, has never been a head coach but you can’t get much more family than the former Houston Rockets assistant.
The priority though, we’re guessing, is to clean the stench from the program. As we said that probably rules Pastner out since Tech is on probation. Here’s a call we would make even though he’d probably say no: Danny Hurley.
He’d be close to brother Bobby and might like that. However, they don’t enjoy competing against each other so there’s an argument against.
And we won’t be surprised in Jon Scheyer’s name pops up again.
You’d think the coaching carousel would be slowing down but things just keep happening. Depending on what happens here, and who Arizona ends up hiring, it could kick it around a few more turns.
Check out what America’s worst columnist, Greg Hansen, has to say about Arizona’s move. When news of the FBI investigation broke, Hansen called for Miller to go and in no uncertain terms. When it became clear that this wasn’t happening, he changed his tune. Now he’s changed it again, perhaps finally saying what he wanted to say all along.
It almost looks like he was scared off by Miller’s level of support.
- Wildcat blood not needed as UA president, AD search for Sean Miller’s replacement
- Sean Miller out because Wildcats not meeting ‘high expectations,’ AD Dave Heeke says
- Greg Hansen: Sean Miller’s reign ends as University of Arizona leaders seek a fresh start
- Sean Miller out because Wildcats not meeting ‘high expectations,’ AD Dave Heeke says
- Timeline: Sean Miller’s career as the Arizona Wildcats’ head coach