Kevin Ollie in running for Piston Job?

[ucp990411]

Pistons. LOL

 

[UofCT]

Deserves?!

Yeah he played in the NBA for like 12 years, was an assistant on the 2011 title team, head coach for 2014 title, 7-1 in the tournament. That resume deserves a coaching job.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Yeah he played in the NBA for like 12 years, was an assistant on the 2011 title team, head coach for 2014 title, 7-1 in the tournament. That resume deserves a coaching job.

History is littered with plenty of coaches that had great resumes, got a shot, failed (either immediately or eventually), and then didn’t get another shot. Regardless of what someone thinks of Ollie, it’s a pretty unambiguous fact that his downfall as a successful coach was of his own doing. Maybe he gets a shot as an assistant to try to rehab his reputation as a coach, but an NBA owner/GM would have to be a lunatic to take a risk on him as a HC.

 

[REB1094]

Not sure how legit it is, but..

On one end, Ollie’s playbook (or lack of) depends on a star guard or wing being a shot creator. Not much of an Xs and Os guy to create shots from a flowing offense. That style is more suited for the NBA than for college, especially with Cade Cunningham running the show

On the other end, a coach’s ceiling is very limited that way. The Pistons job is a rebuilding job, so there is definitely no expectation of success right away. But eventually the demands to make a playoff run will start coming, sooner rather than later if they get Wemby. That’s when Xs and Os start to matter, and that’s not his strength

I think KO’s skills are in motivating and mentoring, which imo are better suited in an assistant job instead of head coach. I know he went off the rails for a few years at UConn, but the rest (majority) of his coaching and playing resume proves it true. The Pistons job is high risk high reward for a new coach. You could be the guy to lead the young core to success and bring Detroit back to the playoffs, or you could be like a Stephen Silas who can’t keep control of the ship and kill your future career prospects

 

[gtcam]

I would never stop laughing.

Might be a first time event

 

[Madmannsucks]

Might be a first time event

Right after he stops laughing about the settlement, which many also had wrong.

 

[Dogdeacon]

My reaction is kudos to Ollie's agent for getting him mentioned in the conversation.
Realistically that has to happen multiple times and he needs an assistant job to show he's willing to work and work hard again.

 

[UConn990411]

Yeah he played in the NBA for like 12 years, was an assistant on the 2011 title team, head coach for 2014 title, 7-1 in the tournament. That resume deserves a coaching job.

Then you have to wonder why he hasn’t gotten any real consideration in the past five years. Forget college hoops - this is the first mild buzz he’s gotten for an NBA job since he and UConn parted ways.

NBA teams are privy to more inside information than we are, so there must be a reason that someone with his resume hasn’t been a serious coaching candidate.

 

[Deepster]

It always felt like Ollie was a better fit at the pro level for coaching. Would be awesome if he got that job.

Why do you feel he's a better fit coaching the pros?

 

[Cuse Socks]

I always thought KO would be a better fit at the NBA level. Player development was his biggest area of weakness. Not sure if the Pistons are the best fit because they are so young, he'd be a perfect fit as a Mavericks, Grizzlies or Cavs coach, some team with alpha lead guards, but just because college didn't work out doesn't mean the NBA won't.

 

[Cuse Socks]

I always thought KO would be a better fit at the NBA level. Player development was his biggest area of weakness. Not sure if the Pistons are the best fit because they are so young, he'd be a perfect fit as a Mavericks, Grizzlies or Cavs coach, some team with alpha lead guards, but just because college didn't work out doesn't mean the NBA won't.

Actually, with Cade and another high draft pick coming in this year (maybe Scoot?), and Jaden Ivey, the Pistons might be a great fit for the way KO coaches.

 

[HooperScooper]

So Hurley passed on an ACC job at Pitt to coach in the American? Sure. I also suspect that telling prospective coaches that UConn was leaving the league before UConn provided notice is a breach of our AAC agreement and could result in a clawback of revenue by the AAC. Every school claims they were loyal members right up to the moment they aren’t. The use of absolute terms is the wiggle room Hurley needs to be telling the truth without telling the whole truth about that situation.

I have nothing else to go by except what Hurley has been saying for the last few years (that recent interview wasn't the first time he has said that). But if you want to speculate to make your point then go ahead.

 

[ucp990411]

Actually, with Cade and another high draft pick coming in this year (maybe Scoot?), and Jaden Ivey, the Pistons might be a great fit for the way KO coaches.

Coaches?

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

Why do you feel he's a better fit coaching the pros?

Because coaching at the NBA level is moreso about managing egos, roles and relationships with players than college is- which is mostly X’s and O’s, player development, recruiting, etc. I don’t think he was particular good at those 3 things at the college level… on top of some personal things that probably distracted him from the job. I think he was actually pretty good at player relationships before he had his own personal issues that he’s now probably grown from. And I’m not saying Xs and Os don’t matter in the NBA, they just matter a lot less. It’s about having the best talent in the NBA.

All to say, coaches matter a heck of a lot less in the NBA than the college level.

And on top of that, Ollie has the unique experience of being a well-respected player leader in the NBA for over 10 years. He just has vastly more respect and experience around the NBA and his teammates there than college. His respect from high profile NBA players has been well-documented.

 

[UofCT]

History is littered with plenty of coaches that had great resumes, got a shot, failed (either immediately or eventually), and then didn’t get another shot. Regardless of what someone thinks of Ollie, it’s a pretty unambiguous fact that his downfall as a successful coach was of his own doing. Maybe he gets a shot as an assistant to try to rehab his reputation as a coach, but an NBA owner/GM would have to be a lunatic to take a risk on him as a HC.

Kevin Durant, Allen Iverson, Larry Brown, etc disagree. So do all the families of top tier athletes that sent their kids to play for OTE instead of college.

 

[UofCT]

Then you have to wonder why he hasn’t gotten any real consideration in the past five years. Forget college hoops - this is the first mild buzz he’s gotten for an NBA job since he and UConn parted ways.

NBA teams are privy to more inside information than we are, so there must be a reason that someone with his resume hasn’t been a serious coaching candidate.

He's been running OTE.

 

[MexicoHusky]

National title validates Connecticut's choice to embrace basketball in Big East at football's expense

Connecticut made a decision to forsake football and embrace its basketball roots by joining the Big East. It paid off Monday with a national title.

www.usatoday.com

I like the way he layed it out. We won this year with DHs first recruits after the University decided to re-join the BIG East.

 

[Deepster]

Because coaching at the NBA level is moreso about managing egos, roles and relationships with players than college is- which is mostly X’s and O’s, player development, recruiting, etc. I don’t think he was particular good at those 3 things at the college level… on top of some personal things that probably distracted him from the job. I think he was actually pretty good at player relationships before he had his own personal issues that he’s now probably grown from. And I’m not saying Xs and Os don’t matter in the NBA, they just matter a lot less. It’s about having the best talent in the NBA.

All to say, coaches matter a heck of a lot less in the NBA than the college level.

And on top of that, Ollie has the unique experience of being a well-respected player leader in the NBA for over 10 years. He just has vastly more respect and experience around the NBA and his teammates there than college. His respect from high profile NBA players has been well-documented.

So he'd be a better NBA coach because...

1) He stinks at X's and O's
2) He can't recruit and now doesn't need to
3) He doesn't develop players...and doesn't need to fortunately in the NBA.
4) He was pretty good at player relationships...until his personal life fell apart.

 

[Palatine]

American fanboys like you baffle me. The American essentially destroyed our athletic department and you defend it.

Dan Hurley would NEVER have come to UConn if it wasn’t joining the Big East. We would have someone like Stan Heath coaching in Storrs and be celebrating top 200 recruits if we were still in that hell hole.

Don't blame the America for something the program did.

Hurley said he came not knowing if we would get into the BE or not.

At some reality has to come into this.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Kevin Durant, Allen Iverson, Larry Brown, etc disagree. So do all the families of top tier athletes that sent their kids to play for OTE instead of college.

Not sure what that has to do with him being a good decision right now as an NBA head coach. I’m not even saying he wouldn’t be a good NBA HC. I’m saying that given his history, it would be insane from a risk/reward standpoint to hand him the reins to n NBA franchise right now. That feels like it wouldn’t be a particularly contentious view even to supporters.

 

[fatlucy]

American fanboys like you baffle me. The American essentially destroyed our athletic department and you defend it.

Dan Hurley would NEVER have come to UConn if it wasn’t joining the Big East. We would have someone like Stan Heath coaching in Storrs and be celebrating top 200 recruits if we were still in that hell hole.

You’re so wrong about me it’s laughable. I’m not defending the AAC but I’m not protecting Ollie’s lax recruiting effort by blaming the league. My point was that it’s possible to recruit from the AAC and Houston is the proof.

 

[HooperScooper]

Don't blame the America for something the program did.

Hurley said he came not knowing if we would get into the BE or not.

It seems no matter how many times we tell him that he's still not going to believe it.

 

[Mots010]

If Ollie was good enough to be an NBA coach, he'd be in the NBA coaching. Kelvin Sampson got show caused and went right to the NBA for 7 years as an assistant before going to Houston in 2014. Sampson, btw, has Houston as a consistent top 10 team from the AAC (gasp!).

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

So he'd be a better NBA coach because...

1) He stinks at X's and O's
2) He can't recruit and now doesn't need to
3) He doesn't develop players...and doesn't need to fortunately in the NBA.
4) He was pretty good at player relationships...until his personal life fell apart.

I’m so tired of the 4 brain celled strawman responses on this board.

The argument was that he was better suited for the NBA than the college game, because his strengths are more aligned with the NBA.

I never said that you don’t need any of those things in the NBA or that he would even be a good NBA coach. I’m just arguing he’s a better fit there than college.

 

[UofCT]

Not sure what that has to do with him being a good decision right now as an NBA head coach. I’m not even saying he wouldn’t be a good NBA HC. I’m saying that given his history, it would be insane from a risk/reward standpoint to hand him the reins to n NBA franchise right now. That feels like it wouldn’t be a particularly contentious view even to supporters.

Who in your opinion would be a good decision to coach in the NBA right now?

There is no perfect formula so anyone you mention I could probably find multiple examples of people in similar situations that have failed.