Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

I have coached basketball for 6 years, and am currently an assistant coach at a Division 1 University in Texas.

Ask away.

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

How stupid are the players?

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

How much does playing basketball take away from an athlete's college education? Why is it so rare to see a college bball player who has a serious major like engineering, math, etc etc.....It seems to me that most athletes have watered-down majors and/or degrees because they don't have time for the serious ones.

P.S. I was a teaching assistant in college to the following athletes: Tori Holt, Ron Dayne, other various small timers that played 1-2 seasons professionally in bball/fball.

Indy

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

[ QUOTE ]
How stupid are the players?

[/ QUOTE ]None of them are really that stupid, although some do lack common sense. Remember, they all have to qualify via grades to play Div 1.

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

[ QUOTE ]
How much does playing basketball take away from an athlete's college education?

[/ QUOTE ]no more than a part time job does [ QUOTE ]
Why is it so rare to see a college bball player who has a serious major like engineering, math, etc etc.....It seems to me that most athletes have watered-down majors and/or degrees because they don't have time for the serious ones.

[/ QUOTE ]Its not because they don't have time. Most athletes know athletics more than they know math/science/etc, so it is natural for them to become teachers/coaches. There are some, however, that choose the easiest major just so they can pass.

At the place that I am coaching now, we hae 1 enginering major, 5 business, 3 communication, and 6 kinesiology.

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

Casper,

Were you a player at this school? If not, what level did you play at? What is your coaching experience prior to being a D1 asst? How long 'til you have a $4m/yr contract?

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

[ QUOTE ]
Were you a player at this school? If not, what level did you play at?

[/ QUOTE ] I did not play college basketball. I had three Div 1 offer and a host of Div 2 offers, but I decided I didn't want to play anymore.[ QUOTE ]
What is your coaching experience prior to being a D1 asst?

[/ QUOTE ]One of my high school coaches knew an asst at the college that I decided to attend, so he got me set up to be a manager there. I did that for 2 years, and then took a private school coaching job while I was still in college. I was the junior high girls coach for 2 years (3rd in state, 12th at the national tournament) before I got moved up to the varsity boys (winless the year before I took over, went 12-21 my first year and 21-11 my second year).[ QUOTE ]
How long 'til you have a $4m/yr contract?

[/ QUOTE ] I have no desire to coach in the pro's, so never. My goal is to be a Div 1 head coach within 20 years.

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

Casper,

Yeah, only $3.5M for now!

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

Im gonna be rich!

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

Coaches aren't allowed to actually coach the players until Midnight Madness, right?

It's also true that your players have been in the gym every week since the season finished in March, right?

So what do you do from March until October? How do the players know what to work on?

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

Do you agree that a player can ready for the pros before he completes 4 years of college? And if you know that while recruiting him how do rationalize a decision to recruit him knowing he may not stay long enough to take the program to a higher level? Does coaches flighty loyalty negate all that with a "Today and now" attitude?

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

[ QUOTE ]
Do you agree that a player can ready for the pros before he completes 4 years of college? And if you know that while recruiting him how do rationalize a decision to recruit him knowing he may not stay long enough to take the program to a higher level? Does coaches flighty loyalty negate all that with a "Today and now" attitude?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not a college coach like the OP, but the answer to this is so subjective. Was LeBron ready for the pros without playing in college? Of course. How about Kwame Brown, was he ready? The answer to that is probably no. Kwame Brown, to date has made 33 million dollars. Is it possible to say someone wasn't ready for the NBA when they made more money in 6 years than 99.9% of people do in their whole lifetime?

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

My intention was to frame the question in terms of athletes that enroll and then leave. It was more about a Kevin Durant than a LeBron.

Besides, LeBron and Oden are both older than Bill Russell.

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

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My intention was to frame the question in terms of athletes that enroll and then leave. It was more about a Kevin Durant than a LeBron.

[/ QUOTE ]

Because of the rules, Texas knew going in that Durant was going to college only because he had to, not because he wanted to. They also knew that, barring injury, Durant was only going to be in for a year. So what coach in his right mind would refuse to a top 5 recruit just because of that fact? They want to win and Durant gives them a better chance than someone who is not good enough to play in the NBA (and would therefore stay in school).

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

1. why are white americans who dominate college struggling to adjust to the NBA?

2. compare/contrast the college game to the pro game as best as you can.

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

[ QUOTE ]

Because of the rules, Texas knew going in that Durant was going to college only because he had to, not because he wanted to. They also knew that, barring injury, Durant was only going to be in for a year. So what coach in his right mind would refuse to a top 5 recruit just because of that fact? They want to win and Durant gives them a better chance than someone who is not good enough to play in the NBA (and would therefore stay in school).

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I'd answer that but here's where I admit ignorance to whether the school loses the scholarship if he leaves. If they do, is that worth the roll of the dice for one year?

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Because of the rules, Texas knew going in that Durant was going to college only because he had to, not because he wanted to. They also knew that, barring injury, Durant was only going to be in for a year. So what coach in his right mind would refuse to a top 5 recruit just because of that fact? They want to win and Durant gives them a better chance than someone who is not good enough to play in the NBA (and would therefore stay in school).

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd answer that but here's where I admit ignorance to whether the school loses the scholarship if he leaves. If they do, is that worth the roll of the dice for one year?

[/ QUOTE ]
If they did lose the scholarship, schools like Florida and North Carolina would have few scholarships left, so I don't think they lose it.

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

[ QUOTE ]
Coaches aren't allowed to actually coach the players until Midnight Madness, right?

It's also true that your players have been in the gym every week since the season finished in March, right?

So what do you do from March until October? How do the players know what to work on?

[/ QUOTE ] no, this is incorrect. Once a team's season is over, the coaches cannot coach until the end of the NCAA tournament. When that is finished, we have 4 weeks of "individual" workouts where we can workout 4 players at a time. I believe we are allowed to work with them for 120 minutes/wk for those 4 weeks.

During summer, we are not allowed to coach at all.

When school starts again, we have individual workouts for a few weeks (120 minutes/wk) and then we can start working with the whole team at the same time about a month into school. Again, each player can only be worked out for 120 minutes per week until the first official day of practice.

The players do weights and have open gym in the interim, but none of this can be mandatory.

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

[ QUOTE ]
My intention was to frame the question in terms of athletes that enroll and then leave. It was more about a Kevin Durant than a LeBron.

Besides, LeBron and Oden are both older than Bill Russell.

[/ QUOTE ]Coaches have to make those decisions, as they affect the entire program. Coaches are aware of the players intent when they are recruiting them- sometimes they are willing to take a player for one year because they think he will help them take the next step, and sometimes the coaches dont think the player is good enough to move on so they are willing to take the chance.

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[ QUOTE ]
1. why are white americans who dominate college struggling to adjust to the NBA?

[/ QUOTE ] Many of them have never been asked to do more than one thing...ie they are only shooters, only low-post players, etc, and when they get the the pros they are being asked to do much more than that. Even more, however, they are being asked to defend players that are incredibly versatile and in most cases much more athletic. Also, most guards that don't make it do not have the dribbling ability/quickness they need to succeed in the NBA.

[ QUOTE ]
2. compare/contrast the college game to the pro game as best as you can.

[/ QUOTE ]-College bball has a much slower pace
-College play is more team oriented in regards to both offensive and defensive systems
-NBA is full of players that excel at multiple things, where college teams are full of players that excel at one thing and are good/ok at others.
-college players are much easier to work with because 1)they arent getting paid millions, 2)they dont run to the media when they dont get their way, and 3)they dont really have options once they get to a school

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

Schools do not lose scholarships when a player leaves for the NBA. Unless a team has been sanctioned or has lost enough APR points, every team has 13 scholarships to give every year.

You do, however, lose APR points when players do not graduate or when academically ineligible players transfer...this is a new system that will cause teams to lose scholarships in a year or two.

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

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If they did lose the scholarship, schools like Florida and North Carolina would have few scholarships left, so I don't think they lose it.

[/ QUOTE ]

The USA Today story the other day reported Florida basketball as having a 100% graduation rate based on the latest time frame.

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

How much do you make now?

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

[ QUOTE ]
How much do you make now?

[/ QUOTE ]10K + free masters degree [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

Do you feel US coaches are too self-serving, in that they (my observation and opinion, mind you) train players to play a role in THEIR team as opposed train them to be the best possible player? I feel the only reason more Lebrons don't exist is due to the simple thinking, "Oh, you're tall (6'6"+) you're going to be a center." You're hard pressed to find a player with both the physique and well-rounded game of the foreign players.

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

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If they did lose the scholarship, schools like Florida and North Carolina would have few scholarships left, so I don't think they lose it.

[/ QUOTE ]

The USA Today story the other day reported Florida basketball as having a 100% graduation rate based on the latest time frame.

[/ QUOTE ]
I was just using them as an example because they had 3-4 juniors leave the team for the NBA this season. I had no idea what their graduation rate is.

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

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[ QUOTE ]
How stupid are the players?

[/ QUOTE ]None of them are really that stupid, although some do lack common sense. Remember, they all have to qualify via grades to play Div 1.

[/ QUOTE ]
Ok, so how much help do they get from profs/students that other students don't receive? Come on, what a cop-out answer.

From talking to friends that played D1 football, there's not a doubt in my mind that athletes get both breaks on requirements and extra help.

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

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[ QUOTE ]
Coaches aren't allowed to actually coach the players until Midnight Madness, right?

It's also true that your players have been in the gym every week since the season finished in March, right?

So what do you do from March until October? How do the players know what to work on?

[/ QUOTE ] no, this is incorrect. Once a team's season is over, the coaches cannot coach until the end of the NCAA tournament. When that is finished, we have 4 weeks of "individual" workouts where we can workout 4 players at a time. I believe we are allowed to work with them for 120 minutes/wk for those 4 weeks.

During summer, we are not allowed to coach at all.

When school starts again, we have individual workouts for a few weeks (120 minutes/wk) and then we can start working with the whole team at the same time about a month into school. Again, each player can only be worked out for 120 minutes per week until the first official day of practice.

The players do weights and have open gym in the interim, but none of this can be mandatory.

[/ QUOTE ]

So what's the significance of Midnight Madness?

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

[ QUOTE ]
Do you feel US coaches are too self-serving, in that they (my observation and opinion, mind you) train players to play a role in THEIR team as opposed train them to be the best possible player? I feel the only reason more Lebrons don't exist is due to the simple thinking, "Oh, you're tall (6'6"+) you're going to be a center." You're hard pressed to find a player with both the physique and well-rounded game of the foreign players.

[/ QUOTE ]I think a coach's role is to do what is best for their team...the player has a choice when he picks his college...many college coaches do tons of individual stuff, and some only work on team stuff

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[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
How stupid are the players?

[/ QUOTE ]None of them are really that stupid, although some do lack common sense. Remember, they all have to qualify via grades to play Div 1.

[/ QUOTE ]
Ok, so how much help do they get from profs/students that other students don't receive? Come on, what a cop-out answer.

From talking to friends that played D1 football, there's not a doubt in my mind that athletes get both breaks on requirements and extra help.

[/ QUOTE ]yes, they are offered extra help in the form of tutors/etc...since they cannot work part time jobs and afford their own, the athletic department normally provides them. yes, they get the first opportunity to register for classes.

Getting "extra breaks on requirements" is against the rules and is cheating imo...I (we) do not do that, so I cant speak for that.

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Coaches aren't allowed to actually coach the players until Midnight Madness, right?

It's also true that your players have been in the gym every week since the season finished in March, right?

So what do you do from March until October? How do the players know what to work on?

[/ QUOTE ] no, this is incorrect. Once a team's season is over, the coaches cannot coach until the end of the NCAA tournament. When that is finished, we have 4 weeks of "individual" workouts where we can workout 4 players at a time. I believe we are allowed to work with them for 120 minutes/wk for those 4 weeks.

During summer, we are not allowed to coach at all.

When school starts again, we have individual workouts for a few weeks (120 minutes/wk) and then we can start working with the whole team at the same time about a month into school. Again, each player can only be worked out for 120 minutes per week until the first official day of practice.

The players do weights and have open gym in the interim, but none of this can be mandatory.

[/ QUOTE ]

So what's the significance of Midnight Madness?

[/ QUOTE ]It signifies the official start of bball season...that Friday is the first day that teams can hold full practices

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

Since you're in Texas, how do you compete with a program that spends $100mm on 500 people?

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

we dont compete with them

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

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we dont compete with them

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am currently an assistant coach at a Division 1 University in Texas.

[/ QUOTE ]


OK

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

How did you get this job? What are you qualifications for a coaching job besides being a player? Have you read " the 7 habits of highly effective people"?

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

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we dont compete with them

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[ QUOTE ]
am currently an assistant coach at a Division 1 University in Texas.

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OK

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Lol that's just trolling. I played a short stint at a small (basketball program-wise) D1 school and we never played UofI. It's not like the NBA where every team plays every other team. (<-- Cpt. Obv. to the rescue)

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

As a non-American it seems strange to me that college basketball and American football draw such a big audience, when there are also top level professional leagues in the same games. What is the attraction of these sports when played at college level?

edit: for example, why is there no such following for college baseball?

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

Is he D1A or AA?

Sorry to [censored] on your thread, but this seems a lot like, "Ask a high school bball coach." The way this particular thread works best is with the details: finances, recruiting tricks, scheduling practices to get around NCAA regs, mentoring kids away from home and into the college environment for the first time, etc. Refusing to say what teams you compete with and giving platitudes like, "Oh, all our players meet academic requirements!" takes all of the wind out of the thread.

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

[ QUOTE ]
Is he D1A or AA?

Sorry to [censored] on your thread, but this seems a lot like, "Ask a high school bball coach." The way this particular thread works best is with the details: finances, recruiting tricks, scheduling practices to get around NCAA regs, mentoring kids away from home and into the college environment for the first time, etc. Refusing to say what teams you compete with and giving platitudes like, "Oh, all our players meet academic requirements!" takes all of the wind out of the thread.

[/ QUOTE ]

There is no "AA" for basketball. Every team has a chance to win the NCAA tourny that is D1.

However it is clear this is a small program. Possibly the Southland , an Independent , or some other small conference that has only one Texas team like the SWAC.

I do my absolute best to follow the small conference basketball ( before I had a job a made some really good money following these conferences) and would love to know how a small conference teams does their schedule.

How much is the biggest "guanrentee" pay day you've had?

Is it hard to find games?

What is the atmosphere like in the last few game sbefore the conference tourny? Is the team only looking forward to that since thats their last chance to qualify for the postseason (assuming you are in a conference).

I am assuming you don't want to post the team as that would show a link with a gmabling associated site, but I would absolutly love to follow your team this season if you would send a PM with some more info.

Re: Ask a College Basketball Coach
 

What was your feeling on the whole Eric Gordon recruiting saga as well as your school's head coach and others thoughts that you converse with also.