smallchou.com/blog

college basketball coaches are generally like the sleazy guys that you’ve met in your life: they’re always looking for the more attractive upgrade. the thing about college basketball coaching jobs though, is that there’s a clear hierarchy of jobs. And most clearly, there are four jobs right at the very very top:

• Duke: as much as i detest them, coach k has built one of the premier programs in the country, in little more than 20 years
  
• Kentucky: adolph rupp, rick pitino, and others
  
• North Carolina: dean smith
  
• UCLA: john wooden
  

yes i know, you can argue there are a few more up there (indiana, kansas, arizona, louisville, etc…), but i consider those four jobs to be the elite. how do you judge that? in the “secure and upgrade” world of college basketball, you never see coaches willingly leave those jobs for another college job (or at least you would never think so until tubby just did). they are “destination” jobs.

so it seems that this latest news about kentucky pursuing billy donovan for its opening would make sense for everyone. after all, isn’t kentucky a top-end job? it is, but i don’t think it’ll happen.

for billy donovan, it’s hard to imagine jobs gettinig much more attractive than florida right now. big public school, no academic restrictions in recruiting, huge support base, a (now-)built reputation, and momentum in his program. to me, he has an opportunity to build florida INTO one of the elite programs. to define a legacy that isn’t just “the next great kentucky coach,” but is THE MAN.

that’s not even to mention the awkwardness of leaving for another SEC school (a bitter rival). wouldn’t that be strange? i mean, what is he REALLY gaining with the move (besides a million a year)? who knows, perhaps he’ll run for the $1M extra per year. but somehow, i just don’t see it happening.

for kentucky, this is a shot in the dark. a great, young, passionate (AND experienced) coach who is a tremendous recruiter. give it a shot, what could go wrong? well, for one thing, your fans could hate you, particularly if you don’t land him. when you’re a fan of these elite programs, you expect everyone to jump for your school’s job. when they don’t, you’re stunned. i have a feeling they’re going to be stunned this time.

who knows, maybe billy d will jump at the chance still, but my guess is no.

just to throw a couple of names out there as alternatives: tom crean, mark few.