John Beilein: Continuing his education

[The Human Q-Tip]

Are there any more legitimate reasons for Ime Udoka or Wes Unseld Jr?

Yes. That's the entire point.

Udoka has been an assistant coach in the NBA for six seasons - Hammon for just three. Udoka also played for 4 different teams in the NBA, so he has all that additional experience regarding "what works" in the NBA, how to relate to NBA players, etc.. To the extent you want to put weight on Pop's opinions, Udoka is his second assistant, Hammon is his third.

Wes Unseld Jr.'s resume is even stronger than Udoka's. He spent 13 seasons with the Wizards in player development, including 6 as an assistant coach. He then spent two seasons as an assistant coach with Orlando, one season with GSW, and is in his fourth with the Nuggets. That gives him twenty seasons of NBA coaching/player development experience, compared to Hammon's five.

Yeah, i get it that people might be suspicious of a 'progressive agenda' being pushed here, but look at it this way -- how good does she have to be and how hard does she have to work to make it in such a boys' club?

How about simply working as hard and having as much experience as do male coaching candidates? Nobody is trying to hold her to a higher standard that males -- but asking that her candidacy be held to the same standard as every other candidate is hardly unfair. The whole "boys' club" argument is actually just an attempt to ignore her actual qualifications because of her gender.

Again, with all that being said, it is possible that she would be a great coach. But none of us are in a position to know that. All we really have to go on is the objective evidence, and that is heavily weighted in favor of her not being ready yet.

 

[Joe Henderson]

Again, with all that being said, it is possible that she would be a great coach. But none of us are in a position to know that. All we really have to go on is the objective evidence, and that is heavily weighted in favor of her not being ready yet.

I think that's fair. And pointing out that she has less experience than some other candidates is also fair -- though holding the lack of a playing career against her is pretty tough.

What's unfair is saying there are zero arguments for her candidacy and that the only reason she's being mentioned is that she's a woman.

As fans, we have very little insight into the abilities of assistant coaches. Yet she's the only one who gets this sort of dismissive treatment.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

- though holding the lack of a playing career against her is pretty tough.

How so? The only guys who ever get hired as NBA coaches with that little coaching experience are guys who played in the NBA - the league in which they wish to coach. And that's because they've been exposed to NBA coaching, know how to relate to NBA players, etc.. Playing in the NBA serves as a proxy for some NBA coaching experience. It makes perfect sense.

If there was a male who was a college player but wasn't good enough to play in the NBA, we wouldn't count that non-NBA playing experience as a proxy for some coaching experience. We'd expect him to spend more time in NBA player development and assistant coaching to build up his experience with and knowledge of the NBA. Why shouldn't Hammon's lack of experience with NBA coaching and players be viewed the same?

What's unfair is saying there are zero arguments for her candidacy and that the only reason she's being mentioned is that she's a woman.

Actually, I didn't say there are "zero arguments" for her candidacy. I asked a question, which you haven't answered:

Other than the fact that she's a woman, what is the affirmative argument for hiring Becky Hammon?

So, other the fact that she is female, what is the argument for her being even as good a head coaching candidate as Udoka, Unseld Jr., or Jordi Fernandez?

As fans, we have very little insight into the abilities of assistant coaches. Yet she's the only one who gets this sort of dismissive treatment.

She's getting this "dismissive treatment" because the other assistant coaches being discussed as potential head coaches have much stronger resumes than she does.

And again, I'm not saying she shouldn't be considered at all. What I'm kind of puzzled by is the preference some fans seem to have for hiring her.

 

[Jstock12]

Let's think outside the box

Out of the box candidate - Sarunas Jasikevicius. Was one of the candidates to coach the Toronto Raptors after they fired Dwane Casey. Nick Nurse still wanted him badly as an assistant coach. Best childhood friend of Ilgauskas. Widely acknowledged as the best young Euroleague coach. Dragged a team with very little talent and with a budget of only 8 million to the Euroleague TOP4 last season, where they finished 3rd, placing ahead of CSKA Moscow (budget of $30-40 million).

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2o59aTXWqI&


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L5goTVodHo

 

[Derek]

Serious question, why does anyone think Luke Walton is a good coach?

Because he did a lot of good things (building a defense, developing young players) before getting saddled with LeBron

 

[Cavatt]

Are there any more legitimate reasons for Ime Udoka or Wes Unseld Jr? Let's be honest, we have zero idea about how good an assistant is and we have zero ways to measure it. All we have to go on is their reputation and how often they get mentioned in these rumors.

Yeah, i get it that people might be suspicious of a 'progressive agenda' being pushed here, but look at it this way -- how good does she have to be and how hard does she have to work to make it in such a boys' club? She's quite the outlier, so of course that's gonna get people to talk about her. For very legitimate reasons.

I like Wes Unseld JR. He is defensive minded. I actually think that works on this team. He developed Denvers defense with Jokic, and we have a similar issue with Zizic. I think Zizic has more defensive potential.

I think Collin is going to be really great offensively, but it would be nice to get a defensive minded coach in his ear early.

Unseld might be one of the Assistants that Vets like Love who has a personal connection to him might connect with and he is a little older assistant with lots of experience.

I'd be all in on Messina too if he would even look our way.

 

[FrontPageNews]

Are there any top Celtic assistants worthy of a HC job? Strange that Stevens doesn’t have a coaching tree yet.

 

[DirtyDan]

Are they looking at Budenholzer's staff?

He took an Atlanta team consisting of roleplayers, to their ceiling. Not to mention cultivating what looks like an MVP year for Giannis.

 

[raisen]

Are they looking at Budenholzer's staff?

He took an Atlanta team consisting of roleplayers, to their ceiling. Not to mention cultivating what looks like an MVP year for Giannis.

They did, Woj mention Davin Ham yesterday.

 

[rastamon87]

Are there any top Celtic assistants worthy of a HC job? Strange that Stevens doesn’t have a coaching tree yet.

Stevens might be available if the Celtics doesn't shape up in the playoffs...

 

[EdMonix11]

Luke Walton is now officially on the market....

 

[Mr. MacPhisto]

Luke Walton is now officially on the market....

Would not be surprised to see him land in Sacramento.

 

[mrWalrus]

Out of the box candidate - Sarunas Jasikevicius. Was one of the candidates to coach the Toronto Raptors after they fired Dwane Casey. Nick Nurse still wanted him badly as an assistant coach. Best childhood friend of Ilgauskas. Widely acknowledged as the best young Euroleague coach. Dragged a team with very little talent and with a budget of only 8 million to the Euroleague TOP4 last season, where they finished 3rd, placing ahead of CSKA Moscow (budget of $30-40 million).

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2o59aTXWqI&


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L5goTVodHo

Lebron would have never left if we got him when he was a player.

 

[BigZ94]

I'm surprised there's no David Blatt mention. He's the perfect coach for a young, rebuilding team.

Out of the box candidate - Sarunas Jasikevicius. Was one of the candidates to coach the Toronto Raptors after they fired Dwane Casey. Nick Nurse still wanted him badly as an assistant coach. Best childhood friend of Ilgauskas. Widely acknowledged as the best young Euroleague coach. Dragged a team with very little talent and with a budget of only 8 million to the Euroleague TOP4 last season, where they finished 3rd, placing ahead of CSKA Moscow (budget of $30-40 million).

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2o59aTXWqI&


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L5goTVodHo

Would be really really interesting, real no bullshit kinda guy, watched that whole road they took to the top 4 with my Lithuanian friends and it was quite inspiring. I liked Blatt but I think Sarunas would deal with nba egos a lot better

 

[rastamon87]

Maybe Drew is going to the Lakers if Lue is hired... Anyways I just want Lue to be hired so he could get his boy Longo outta here and that makes sure the Cavs does not retain Longo...