Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News asks which job is better, the open Kentucky position or the Arizona position?
Here’s the pro and con Mike gives for UK:
Why it’s a great job: No program enjoys greater financial and public support for basketball. Kentucky basketball is the state’s franchise. That leads to postgraduate opportunities for players and to a powerful home game atmosphere.
Why it’s not as good as you think: The talent base is all but dead. Kentucky no longer produces elite players, which makes it harder for UK to land championship-level talent. Expectations are more reasonable than some believe, but scrutiny is not. No place picks apart a coach’s methods with greater zeal. Billy Gillispie’s authority was undermined from the very start as his approach to changing a country club culture was ridiculed.
He ranks Kentucky as the 7th best job in college basketball. Arizona as 12th.
And he lists Pitino as the No. 1 candidate for the Arizona job.
“And he lists Pitino as the No. 1 candidate for the Arizona job.”
Is he serious?
Talent base dead?
I think not.
Seventh? Look, I will gladly admit that UK may not be the best college coaching job in America, but seventh? What six coaching jobs are better than Kentucky?
DeCoursey is an idiot. How many players on UConn\’s final 4 team are from that state? North Carolina? Villanova? Kentucky is a NATIONAL program who recruits from all 50 states. Just like every other top 10-20 team does! Just like Pitino did in the 90\’s. Louisville has built a top 10 program without depending on Kentucky kids. Silly point to bring up as a minus to the Kentucky job.