OKC Thunder 2014 - 2015

[okatty]

I don't disagree but it doesn't hurt to have a coach who players wanna play for.

[BDP]

Brian Windhorst of ESPN just said it's Donovan's job to turn down. Also said it's a GREAT job and that people are lining up for it. Pure speculation on Donovan but just another national guy giving more fuel to that theory.

If Donovan is the guy, or any college coach, why would Presti or that coach be waiting? I guess it's possible that they haven't been able to get together on the terms, but I can't imagine that they'd be so far off as to hold it up.

I assume Presti is waiting for the playoffs to be over so he can talk to some NBA guys, but why do that if Donovan is his top choice?

[okatty]

If Donovan is the guy, or any college coach, why would Presti or that coach be waiting? I guess it's possible that they haven't been able to get together on the terms, but I can't imagine that they'd be so far off as to hold it up.

I assume Presti is waiting for the playoffs to be over so he can talk to some NBA guys, but why do that if Donovan is his top choice?

Yeah, agree with ya. Brian W was just on top of the Brooks deal more than most and has seemed to be pushing the Billy D rumor. Makes sense they are waiting for access to NBA prospects. Or waiting for Ollie's buyout to drop $1 mill on 6-1..ha.

[BDP]

Yeah, agree with ya. Brian W was just on top of the Brooks deal more than most and has seemed to be pushing the Billy D rumor. Makes sense they are waiting for access to NBA prospects. Or waiting for Ollie's buyout to drop $1 mill on 6-1..ha.

That would really suck for any school if they wait until 6/1 to hire a college coach. Outside of any buyout considerations, a school would have to find a new coach and re-recruit signees or find replacements for any players who de-commit all in just a few weeks before the fall semester starts. Not fun.

I could be wrong, but this may be another case of the media just not really knowing what's going on with the Thunder. I don't think you can ever really know what they're going to do until they do it. I wouldn't be surprised at all if they hire someone that no one had mentioned before it happens.

[okatty]

That would really suck for any school if they wait until 6/1 to hire a college coach. Outside of any buyout considerations, a school would have to find a new coach and re-recruit signees or find replacements for any players who de-commit all in just a few weeks before the fall semester starts. Not fun.

I could be wrong, but this may be another case of the media just not really knowing what's going on with the Thunder. I don't think you can ever really know what they're going to do until they do it. I wouldn't be surprised at all if they hire someone that no one had mentioned before it happens.

Or a very fringe candidate - Alvin Gentry or someone like that who has been mentioned but doesn't seem to be on the "hot" list.

[Laramie]

Great description of Russell Westbrook:

Watching Russell play is like .... it's like... well.. ummm...there just isn't a single word or analogy that describes it. He's the Flash and Spiderman mixed together in some freakish lab experiment. One minute he's a runaway freight train, and in a wink he is as light on his feet as Fred Astaire. Then he's an F3 tornado destroying everything in his path, immediately followed by a trapeze artist attempting the triple flip while jumping blindfolded without a net. You love him, then you hate him, then he thrills you, then he exasperates you, you cheer him then jeer him, it's up and it's down, it's all around and all happening at the speed of sound, an emotional roller coaster THERE SEEMS NO GETTING OFF OF AND THEN.... the 2nd quarter starts. It's exhausting and exhilarating and I love every single second of it. One thing is guaranteed when one watches Russell Westbrook play basketball. if you have a pulse, it rises.

Thunder GM Sam Presti Needs to Find His Lucien Laurin for Russell Westbrook and Oklahoma City - Welcome to Loud City

[okatty]

Rumor mill churning that KD met with Coach K - per Duke donor and reported by Darnell Mayberry.

[BDP]

Rumor mill churning that KD met with Coach K - per Duke donor and reported by Darnell Mayberry.

Ha. I actually just heard a "my wife's friend's sister saw coach k at charlestons" rumor.

[dcsooner]

Duke just received commitment from top recruit today

[zookeeper]

In all seriousness, the talk on ESPN this morning was that if Coack K harbors any NBA dreams at all - this is his time. He wouldn't find a better opportunity if he waited forever. Great organization, great fan support, great players (even beyond the big two). If he wants to do it - jump - his prospects could never be better than NOW.

The thought of one of the 2 or 3 greatest coaches in the history of college basketball coming to join the Thunder would just...off the charts.

[dankrutka]

Rumor mill churning that KD met with Coach K - per Duke donor and reported by Darnell Mayberry.

I wouldn't consider a ReTweet a "report."

None of these Coach K rumors have come from a credible source and it all seems to have started with the rumor he was at an OKC Charleston's today... Doesn't pass the smell test...

But I sure hope it's true.

Now with these Coach K rumors everyone is going to be disappointed in whoever the Thunder do get. To me, Coach K (or maybe Popovich) are the best possible options. We'll see...

[Stan Silliman]

OK, I'l give you most of those successful transfers; I guess I was only looking at more recent history. So outside of Pop, we're having to go back 40 years to find successful college coaches that went on to success in the NBA? But even with Pop, it's not quite the same because he spent 10 years as an NBA assistant before getting his HC job with the Spurs. So he didn't jump right into the pros w/ zero NBA experience, like Donovan would be doing. The guy had plenty of time to get acclimated to professional coaching and learning the ins/outs of the NBA.

As for your statement saying the Pitino, Calipari, and Tark weren't "great player development guys or great Xs and Os guys," that just be one of the silliest thing I've ever heard on here. They are/were great recruiters, but to collectively win as many NCAA titles and coach of the year awards as they have, I'm pretty sure it takes a little more than just having great players on the team. Before UK and Louisville, Pitino also coached at Providence where he led a team to the Final 4. Can't imagine that team having a major talent disparity. Same with Calipari, he had tremendous success at UMass in the 90s. Outside of Marcus Camby, I can't name another single player on any of those teams, off the top of my head. These two guys are the only coaches in NCAA history to lead 3 different teams to the Final 4. I would say it takes a little more than recruiting to be able to do this. As for Tarkanian, he was known for his relentless defense as well as his run-and-gun offenses at UNLV. He turned a school with zero basketball identity into a national powerhouse, where he had tremendous winning record. Won't comment on Hamilton, as I don't know a whole lot about the guy.

So I agree that recruiting means nothing in the NBA, but these guys are more than recruiters. These current and future college hall of famers were great overall coaches, who couldn't hack it in the NBA. But Tark didn't get much of a chance, didn't even get a full season with the Spurs.

I had a lot of admiration for the job Tarkanian did at UNLV. I was in the stands watching his games on numerous occasions. Lots of his teams had talent disparities because he took chances on marginal students who were very athletic. His 1977 Hardway Eight team had seven NBA players - guys like Sudden Sam Smith, Glen Gonderick,Reggie Theus, Easy Eddie Owens, Robert Smith, Larry Moffett - not unlike some of Cal's recent Kentucky teams. His Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon team was loaded with NBA and CBA players. He couldn't run the break neck defense without a talent disparity.

Pitino's Kentucky teams were similar - two platoons, full court presses, NBA players coming off the bench. And just like Tarkanian's, that type of defense didn't work in the NBA. It depended on you being able to wear down your opponent with players able to play multiple positions. And, to work, you had to have a deeper bench and a talent disparity over your opponent.

As far as Calipari, after a slow start at U Mass, he got it rolling. But having three NBA players in the Atlantic 10 - Lou Roe, Lari Ketner and Camby - was a pretty big talent disparity compared to the rest of the league. His Memphis teams were similar, lots of NBA and Development League players playing against teams in Conference USA that had one or less NBA type players. I'm not saying he was terrible but his recruiting had as much or more to do with his success as his basketball strategies. His 2012 team that lost in the first round of the NIT one year after winning the championship kind of sealed it for me. Sure, Norlen Noles went down, but he had enough other players most coaches would have given their right arms for, not to fare that badly.

[okatty]

I wouldn't consider a ReTweet a "report."

None of these Coach K rumors have come from a credible source and it all seems to have started with the rumor he was at an OKC Charleston's today... Doesn't pass the smell test...

But I sure hope it's true.

Now with these Coach K rumors everyone is going to be disappointed in whoever the Thunder do get. To me, Coach K (or maybe Popovich) are the best possible options. We'll see...

I don't think many people realistically think Coach K is a true candidate so shouldnt be disappointed. But it made for some good tweets today!

[Urbanized]

Even if he's in town it's not necessarily connected to the Thunder opening. Folks might be surprised sometimes by the people who come through town for a variety of reasons. A few years ago I was at the bar in Mickey Mantle's when (Coach) Roy Williams walked up behind me and started watching a baseball game on TV, literally holding into the back of my barstool. He was with a group eating dinner in the dining room.

After he returned to the dining room, ranomly (and I MEAN randomly), Nick Collison came in with friends and sat next to me at the bar. Williams saw him through the glas, and bolted into the bar, where Nick's eyes got big as saucers. He hopped off of the barstool, exclaimed loudly, and they hugged and proceeded to catch up. Apparently they hadn't seen each other in a few years. Nick asked why he was in town, and Williams said it was a consultation on a wrist surgery, as apparently the best specialist in the country for whatever surgery he needed was here in OKC.

My point only being that his visit had zero to do with sports, seeing Nick, or anything else. Things like that happen all of the time.

That said, if we're going to end up with a college coach, I'd be down with Coach K.

[soonermike81]

I had a lot of admiration for the job Tarkanian did at UNLV. I was in the stands watching his games on numerous occasions. Lots of his teams had talent disparities because he took chances on marginal students who were very athletic. His 1977 Hardway Eight team had seven NBA players - guys like Sudden Sam Smith, Glen Gonderick,Reggie Theus, Easy Eddie Owens, Robert Smith, Larry Moffett - not unlike some of Cal's recent Kentucky teams. His Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon team was loaded with NBA and CBA players. He couldn't run the break neck defense without a talent disparity.

Pitino's Kentucky teams were similar - two platoons, full court presses, NBA players coming off the bench. And just like Tarkanian's, that type of defense didn't work in the NBA. It depended on you being able to wear down your opponent with players able to play multiple positions. And, to work, you had to have a deeper bench and a talent disparity over your opponent.

As far as Calipari, after a slow start at U Mass, he got it rolling. But having three NBA players in the Atlantic 10 - Lou Roe, Lari Ketner and Camby - was a pretty big talent disparity compared to the rest of the league. His Memphis teams were similar, lots of NBA and Development League players playing against teams in Conference USA that had one or less NBA type players. I'm not saying he was terrible but his recruiting had as much or more to do with his success as his basketball strategies. His 2012 team that lost in the first round of the NIT one year after winning the championship kind of sealed it for me. Sure, Norlen Noles went down, but he had enough other players most coaches would have given their right arms for, not to fare that badly.

I get it. These guys were amazing recruiters, I agree with you 100% . But I don't think we can really discredit their coaching ability and attribute their success to great recruiting only. All these coaches started their careers at either smaller schools or schools with zero basketball tradition, and achieved success. No way those teams began with a talent disparity in my opinion. Like most other great coaches, they start building on their success, and the recruiting usually follows. Don't get me wrong, it helps when you do have a talent disparity, but I think these guys that you mentioned are more than just that.

Lets just look back at Pitino's last national championship. They knocked off Duke in the elite eight and then Michigan in the final game. I'm willing to bet that both of those teams had more guys that are now doing something significant in the NBA than Louisville's team. In fact, I bet those two rosters were loaded with more five-star recruits than Louisville's team as well. Not saying the Pitino's team was full of a bunch of worthless kids with little ability, but he led these guys past better talent to win it all.

I mean, I could use your argument against you. Let's look at Coach K. He consistently has one of the top recruiting classes for the last how many years? Can we seriously discredit this guys coaching ability??? He might end up being the greatest college coach of all time by the time he retires. Are we not going to acknowledge his achievements because he has had amazing talent over the years?

[soonermike81]

And I'm not trying to be a jerk or anything. I just like to argue, especially with people who seem to really know what they're talking about. And you def seem to know your basketball. I just have to disagree with you on this particular issue.

[okatty]

Quite a few outlets reporting that the job is Donovan's to accept or turn down.

[soonermike81]

Quite a few outlets reporting that the job is Donovan's to accept or turn down.

Yeah, been hearing the same all day. Not sure how I feel about this. He is obviously an excellent college coach. Let's just hope he can manage all these egos in NBA. Hope he can buck the trend

[Jersey Boss]

. Are we not going to acknowledge his achievements because he has had amazing talent over the years?

Of course we need to acknowledge the talent he has had, but guess who knocked on those doors to sell the program to those talented young men? In the 1994-95 season K took a leave of absence in the middle of the season. After a 9-3 start under K, the team went 4-15 the rest of the way when he was not on the bench. Same amazing talent for both of those records.

[dankrutka]

Billy Donovan it is*: Billy Donovan, Oklahoma City Thunder near multiyear deal on coaching job

*Unless he backs out. Lol.

[Urbanized]

Guh

[Laramie]

Billy Donovan it is*: Billy Donovan, Oklahoma City Thunder near multiyear deal on coaching job

*Unless he backs out. Lol.

Dan,

Really think Billy Donovan has talked this over with his family; he's ready to sign on the dotted line. Just a matter of dotting the i's and crossing the t's.

Donovan can finish the job; he has good organizational skills & his methodical approach will be a springboard for success.

Billy Donovan seriously interested in leaving Gators for NBA, sources say

Sources told ESPN.com on Wednesday that Donovan has left little doubt he's seriously interested in the prospect of making the move now to the NBA to succeed Scott Brooks, who was ousted by the Thunder one week ago after a trip to the NBA Finals and two other trips to the Western Conference finals in his seven seasons as Thunder coach.

http://6abc.com/sports/billy-donovan...es-say/687193/

[dankrutka]

Yeah, I think he's coming. I was just referencing his 36 hours as the Orlando Magic head coach.

[Laramie]

"Ain't nothing jumping but the peas in the pot and they wouldn't be jumping if the water wasn't hot."--Jackie 'Moms' Mabley

[Laramie]

Congratulations, Billy Donovan!

What can be expected of Donovan? Is he a clear upgrade over Scott Brooks?

NBA - How will Billy Donovan fare as the Thunder's new coach?

Report: Billy Donovan?s contract is for $30 million over five years | ProBasketballTalk