The Best Fit at Head Coach for the Kentucky Wildcats?
March 27, 2009 by
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Wildcat Basketball Discussions, Wildcat News
Now that Coach Billy Gillispie has been let go by the University of Kentucky, it is time to talk about who might replace him as head coach. Here are the possibilities that I have come up with based on the media and other sources:
Billy Donovan (Florida)
Billy Donovan would be the best fit for the head coaching position at Kentucky. He spent years under Rick Pitino as an assistant coach and knows the program. Unfortunately, he soon expressed (after the Gillispie firing) that he has no intentions of leaving Florida for any other school and that his intentions are to stay focused on Florida basketball and building the program.
Travis Ford (Oklahoma State)
Travis Ford, being a former Kentucky player and a native of Kentucky, knows Kentucky basketball really well. He has been a head coach in the state of Kentucky (most notably at Eastern Kentucky). He put a good run together at Oklahoma State this year. I’m quite sure that he would say yes to the offer if Kentucky offered him the head coaching position. Now the downfall, he hasn’t really stayed in one place for too long and doesn’t seem to have enough experience as a head coach to take over a high-profile position, such as the one at Kentucky. My take, if Travis Ford was named the next head coach at Kentucky, I would be happy with the hiring. I would understand that it may take him a couple of years to get on track, but I would be willing to be more patient with a guy like Travis Ford, compared to Billy G. I think that he could be a great ambassador of Kentucky Basketball and I wouldn’t foresee any problems arising with the media or players.
John Calipari (Memphis)
Another big name that has arisen in the rumor mill is John Calipari of Memphis. I just don’t know if he would be a great fit at Kentucky, but he does have an outstanding track record with Memphis and can obviously recruit really well. If it was announced that he would be the next UK coach, then I would be glad to hear it. I would rather have him than an up and coming mid-major coach, but he wouldn’t be my first choice for the job as shown here.
Bob Knight (ESPN Analyst) w/ Travis Ford as Assistant
This actually came from the horses’ mouth. I am referring to Dick Vitale (the basketball guru), actually suggested bringing in Bobby Knight and having Travis Ford as his assistant. He suggested to let Bobby Knight be the head coach for about 5 years and then allow Travis Ford to take over the head coaching position. Even with Knight’s controversy, I would not mind if he were to be hired. I think it would be great! He has a track record of being a great coach and to have Travis Ford under him and eventually taking over as head coach. In my opinion, it would be a win-win situation.
Other Notable Names That Have Come Up
Rick Barnes of Texas
John Pelphrey of Arkansas (Former Kentucky Player/Native)
Jay Wright of Villanova
Mark Few of Gonzaga
Bruce Pearl of Tennessee (doubtful he would leave Tenn. for Kentucky)
Jamie Dixon of Pittsburgh
Now that you have seen the names that have been spread across the rumor mill, who would be your first choice for the head coaching position at Kentucky? Let your opinion be known by leaving a comment here!
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Jodie Meeks/Patrick Patterson
Has anyone heard anything about Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson coming back to Kentucky next year since BCG has been let go?
Dick Vitale stated on ESPN that he received word today that both players would be back to play next year, but who really knows what is going on in their minds and how reliable Dickie V’s source really is.
First off, I think Billy G should have been given another year or two to prove himself, but what’s done is done. I would buy off on a guy like John Calipari, but I just don’t know if he would be willing to give up what he has at Memphis.
I also like Jay Wright as a possibility. He has done a great job with the Villanova basketball program. I like Travis Ford and John Pelphrey since they were former UK basketball players, but I wouldn’t want to have someone hired just because they have ties to the UK basketball program. I respect both coaches and think that they are doing a great job at Oklahoma St and Arkansas, but it is questionable if they would be ready to take over a program like Kentucky.
I am going to stick with Calipari as my first choice and if no other big names jump on the opportunity, then you think about the Travis Fords and the John Pelphreys of college basketball.
I know one thing though, since the track record of the Athletic Department with Billy Gillispie, they should take their time and weigh all options before making an impulse decision like they did with Billy G. I liked Billy, but I did believe that he didn’t fit from the start. Although, I would have liked to see him come back for another season or two, I believe the AD wanted to correct his mistake asap and I can’t fault him for that.
Dido
I don’t think it will be any of the guys mentioned. It will probably be another mid-major coach that won’t live up to the hype of a program like Kentucky. Maybe UK should be calling for the Athletic Director’s head, since he was the reason behind all of this drama in the first place. UK is just too unrealistic with their expectations, they should have kept Billy Gillispie!!
Billy Donovan isn’t going anywhere. He gets like 3.5 million dollars per year at florida, plus his whole family lives in florida. I’d go with a kentucky native (Ford or Pelfrey).
I don’t know enough about Rick Barnes, Jay Wright, Jamie Dixon, or Mark Few to suggest whether they would be a good fit or not.
Here are my choices in the order that I would go after them:
Billy Donovan (knows kentucky basketball and program)
John Calipari (excellent coach)
Travis Ford (kentucky born and great kentucky basketball player)
John Pelphrey (kentucky born and good kentucky basketball player)
Bob Knight (Outrageous, but could be a good fit)
What about John Pelfrey? I think he would be a good fit. He knows Kentucky basketball as well, if not better than Travis Ford. Either way, I would choose of those two as the next head basketball coach at UK.
I like Travis Ford! What about Pitino, is there any chance of luring him away from Louisville?
No, Rick Pitino will not leave UofL, especially with UL doing so good!!
Rick Pitino is out of the question! He does not and will not leave Louisville to come back to Kentucky. This was all expressed 2 years ago when the same question came up.
Billy Donovan all the way!! If we can’t get him, go with Travis Ford or John Calipari as the second and third choices.
I heard Billy Donovan was spotted in Lexington, is this true?
It has been rumored that Donovan was spotted in Kentucky earlier this week, so talks could be going on with UK and Billy D. Of course, they would say that there isn’t, just like UK said yesterday that Gillispie wasn’t fired after several websites reported the firing, even though the University knew that they were going to fire him today.
There is a rumor going around that he was spotted, but he has expressed that he doesn’t want the job. Who knows though, he has changed his mind in the past?
It seems like just yesterday, we were discussing the same topic! Well, I guess it has only been 2 years, way to go Kentucky AD!!! Umm, I would have to say that Billy D would be the best fit, but as expressed, he doesn’t want the job! I just don’t know right now? I like Travis Ford too, but does he deserve the chance to coach Kentucky just because he was a former UK player? He’s only been at Oklahoma St for a year now right? I just don’t know if he has the experience for the job. I would go for Bob Knight, he is a legendary coach and could get high-profile recruits to come and restore the Kentucky program. Travis Ford as his assistant and then taking over in about 5 years as head coach would be a match made in heavin (in my opinion)!
I would love to see Billy Donovan as head coach, but he made sure his name was out of it early by stating that he didn’t want to leave Florida. Of course, he said that a couple years ago and then accepted an assistant job in the NBA before deciding to stay with Florida, so who knows? I also like the idea of Travis Ford and he would be my second choice as head coach. He would be embraced by the fans being a former Kentucky player. Bob Knight, umm, I just don’t know about that one, I am on the fence with Bobby Knight?
I like the idea of Travis Ford being the next head coach, but I am skeptical on whether he would have what it takes to coach at Kentucky. I think he would fit well into the program and that most fans would accept him as the head coach. Then, there was the suggestion of Bob Knight w/ Ford as an assistant, wow, what a concept. I would buy into it, if it happened that way!!