Kevin Ollie in running for Piston Job?

[kemba]

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.

I disagree with almost all of this except for the point that college coaches need to recruit. On some teams player development isn’t as necessary in the nba but the pistons aren’t one of them

But X’s and O’s in the nba is another level from college if you aren’t great at it at the college level you have no shot in the nba. The player relationship part in the nba works out when the players, and especially the stars, have confidence that you are preparing them well and going to out coach the other coach

 

[husky429]

On some teams player development isn’t as necessary in the nba but the pistons aren’t one of them

Development is a huge piece in the NBA. Teams have an entire staff dedicated to it, and players all have multiple private trainers as well. The head coaches just aren't as invovled with development as in college.

 

[Husky68]

I guess if you are looking for a coach who isn’t very bright, isn’t very motivated and will not win enough games to prevent you from stocking up in the lottery, then I agree - Kevin Ollie might make sense.

He’s gonna sue you on the way out, though.

Guess he was smart enough to stick to his guns and sue UConn and win an eight-figure settlement when all the bright guys on the BY had the case a loser. Stick to the contract and fire Ollie 'cause he sucked as a coach and there would have been no lawsuit,

 

[Tenspro2002]

Both of these are true:

• KO is a better fit in the NBA than in college
• KO is a bad coach who will struggle to find success in the NBA (Detroit or otherwise)

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Question for the folks who visibly saw Ollie quit his job. What year was that?

 

[Luna]

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 have been trying to tell people we need to stay in the big east because the north east is our foot print in basketball… if we go to the big 12 we will face the same problems we had in the aac

 

[Inyatkin]

My sources are telling me this would be the funniest thing in the history of this website

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I will reiterate that the Pistons is a career killer of a job. I could see enough candidates passing on it to get to Ollie.

 

[Scoe]

We should want a UConn alum to get an NBA job. We have moved on we won a national championship with him, we got our coach now and won a national championship with him.

Move on remember the good Ollie did with our program as a player and a coach. What happened off the court and behind the scenes is what it is time to move on.

 

[Chin Diesel]

That entire front office needs to be fired for this interview alone for cause.

Gotta be careful trying to fire for cause.
Rumor has it that strategy can get drawn out and be costly.

 

[Madmannsucks]

His job at Overtime Elite was called Head of Coaching and Player Development. In reality, his job was having the name Kevin Ollie.

He was very successful in that regard.

Took a new program in first year while many scoffed at it. 3 players in NBA. 2nd year will have 2 lottery picks. Think you give him too little credit. Obviously he is getting looks from at least one NBA team ,

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

There are times, like reading this thread, where I think UConn may have the worst fan base in college sports.

There are multiple posters, including a former mod, calling an exNBA athlete stupid and lazy. I would think I was reading an Ole Miss board if I didn’t know better.

It's a genuinely embarrassing look for the fan base.

 

[Madmannsucks]

It's a genuinely embarrassing look for the fan base.

Yup and it is allowed without restriction.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I shouldn’t have deleted the “here comes the laugh from Superjohn, who definitely thinks he’d be a better NBA coach than Ollie and thought the same thing about Hurley until 10 days ago” part of my post.

 

[superjohn]

I shouldn’t have deleted the “here comes the laugh from Superjohn, who definitely thinks he’d be a better NBA coach than Ollie and thought the same thing about Hurley until 10 days ago” part of my post.

You probably should have, so very chief like of you.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

You probably should have, so very chief like of you.

You had Hawkins coming back to avoid the G League two weeks ago. What are we doing here?

 

[superjohn]

You had Hawkins coming back to avoid the G League two weeks ago. What are we doing here?

Let it all out. I get it, emojis are painful.

 

[Fishy]

Question for the folks who visibly saw Ollie quit his job. What year was that?

2014.

 

[tuvent08]

The Prince Ali tweet just took me down a recruiting news rabbit hole from 14-15. Brutal reading.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

2014.

I’m confused. So he quit doing his job because he lost a commit? (I was looking forward to Prince too)

In 2016 we had a top 10 class. Did he sleepwalk his way to that class?

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

The Prince Ali tweet just took me down a recruiting news rabbit hole from 14-15. Brutal reading.

You mean the years we got 5* Daniel Hamilton and Jalen Adams back to back to go along with Enoch who everyone was excited for?

What are we talking about here. Maybe I’m missing something because I wasn’t even in CT at this time to know what’s up. But just strictly looking at the talent we picked up from 2014-2016, it didn’t look like he quit during that time period.

 

[UConn990411]

I’m confused. So he quit doing his job because he lost a commit? (I was looking forward to Prince too)

In 2016 we had a top 10 class. Did he sleepwalk his way to that class?

If I’m remembering correctly, they lost Prince Ali because Ollie stopped reaching out or responding to him.

This turned into a pattern, where Ollie clearly wanted no part of the recruiting process. They were able to ride the momentum of the 2014 title to land a great class in 2016, but the momentum quickly evaporated after that.

 

[tuvent08]

If I’m remembering correctly, they lost Prince Ali because Ollie stopped reaching out or responding to him.

This turned into a pattern, where Ollie clearly wanted no part of the recruiting process. They were able to ride the momentum of the 2014 title to land a great class in 2016, but the momentum quickly evaporated after that.

This is it, but people’s views of Ollie (including my own) have hardened to a point where it’s just a waste of server space. The same names always show up as likes on anything vaguely pro-Ollie, and the reverse is often true (though much less predictably). I will always be bitter and unobjective about this period, and I own that. I hope that he is investing more of himself in whatever he is doing these days.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

You mean the years we got 5* Daniel Hamilton and Jalen Adams back to back to go along with Enoch who everyone was excited for?

What are we talking about here. Maybe I’m missing something because I wasn’t even in CT at this time to know what’s up. But just strictly looking at the talent we picked up from 2014-2016, it didn’t look like he quit during that time period.

Are they talking about the same Prince Ali that was unable to start for a bunch of mediocre UCLA teams? Is that the Prince Ali that is giving the haters the sadzz?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Fun fact: If Gilbert’s shoulder does not disintegrate, Ollie makes a bunch of tournaments, sees a big recruiting bump in the Big East, and is probably still UConn’s coach. When one of a mid-major program’s biggest recruits of the 2010’s has an irreparable, chronic injury, the program is going to get damaged. That is what being in a mid-major conference does to a program.