Has Coach Billy Gillispie Been Fired?

There have been numerous sources stating that Coach Billy Gillispie has been fired or stepped down from the coaching job at the University of Kentucky.  Please understand that there is no way to officially confirm this statement at the moment, but look for a press conference soon either by the school or by Billy Gillispie or by both.  This really shouldn’t come as a big shock to anyone because it seemed like a 50-50 chance that he would be let go after this year.

If the above statement is true, who would be a good fit for the University of Kentucky basketball program.  Billy Donovan’s name has resurfaced for the job.  Now that his Florida team isn’t doing so well, might he reconsider the offer that was given to him by Kentucky before the Billy Gillispie hire?  It is possible, but in no way confirmed.  Treat all this as speculation for now until official news is released.

What other coaches might be a good fit?  What about former Kentucky players and Kentucky natives that have been making progress as coaches, such as Travis Ford of Oklahoma State or John Pelphrey of Arkansas?  These young coaches would probably be accepted by fans since they played at UK and have an understanding of Kentucky basketball and what is expected from the program, but would they really be able to fill the shoes of the past with coaching legends such as Rupp and Pitino?  There’s really only one way to tell and that would be to hire one of them as Kentucky head basketball coach, but would Kentucky take that chance after a failed marriage with Gillispie?  The answer is ”very doubtful”.

What about the bigger name coaches, such as John Calipari of Memphis or Rick Pitino of Louisville?  It is highly unlikely that any big name coaches would be willing to give up their current teams to come to Kentucky, especially Rick Pitino…sorry guys.

The fact of the matter is that many coaches may not want to fill Billy Gillispie’s shoes after seeing what he has been through.  UK may have to settle for an up and coming coach from a mid-major program, but that won’t be a popular choice by most Wildcat fans.  When/if the official news surfaces of Gillispie’s firing, look for more shakeups for Kentucky basketball, such as players transferring and Gillispie recruits choosing to go elsewhere.

If Billy Gillispie is out, next year may have to turn into a rebuilding year for the program.  The Kentucky Wildcats’ fan base might have to sit through another year or two of embarrassing losses, low conference finishes, and non-existent post season play.  If this is the case, don’t get discouraged, just bare with the program in the coming years and eventually UK will bounce back as a powerhouse in college basketball if the right coach is hired.

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