UNC Basketball Possible coaches

I don't see it.
Same. He'd not be a *bad* hire by any stretch, and I'd even qualify him as a decently good hire (if underwhelming, IMO), but I don't see him as some savant Carolina basketball savior the way I could see a Lloyd, May, or potentially Donovan. He's coached in 3 NCAAT's in 13 years as a HC, never advancing past the second round. I think it'd be a huge stretch to consider him a program-changing hire, and I certainly don't see him being the kind of guy to be able to rally the big money.
 
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Disagree. Strongly. We’d be back atop the ACC in short order with that hire. He is No. 1 for me. But there are plenty of excellent choices as I’ve said repeatedly since January.
You may be more familiar with Byington than me. He's been a very good hire for Vandy, that's for sure. My only concern with him is that he's never shown the ability to sustain high-level success that others have.
 
IMO, the true grand slam type hires this cycle are if we can get Tommy Lloyd or Dusty May, in either order. Those are two guys who are current college coaches (it must totally shock UNC that you're allowed to actually hire current college head coaches) who are *currently* having huge success in the Wild West chaos of the NIL, pay for play, transfer portal madness. I'd throw Grant McCasland and TJ Otzelberger in there (three-run homer) for similar reasons. Doesn't sound like Oats or Golden are going to be candidates, but I'd put them alongside McCasland.

Billy Donovan would be a slight step down from those guys, IMO, but would still be a tremendous hire (call it a two-run homer). He's someone who had huge success at the collegiate level, but it was two decades ago. He's been solid in the NBA, so clearly at a minimum a good basketball coach. I'd have to roll my eyes a little bit at UNC continuing to go the route of "hire a coach based on his peak career accomplishments a decade or two ago" but Donovan clearly has the chops as a coach and at age 61 or whatever it is, isn't *that* old. Would definitely bring instant credibility.

Beyond that, IMO, would be a pretty steep dropoff. Mark Byington is a single or a double *at best* in my mind. Not bad by any means, and definitely workable. Just not eye-popping.
 
Kentucky had a Hall of Fame coach (rupp)
Then a good coach who won a national championship (Joe Hall)
Then a drunk (Eddie Sutton)
Then a Hall of Fame coach (Pitino)
Then a good coach who won a national championship (Tubby Smith)
Then a drunk (Billy Clyde Gillispie)
Then a Hall of Fame coach (Calipari)
And now Mark Pope (who is a good coach but let's hope he doesn't win a national championship)

Carolina had a Hall of Fame coach (GOAT, Dean Smith)
Then promoted an assistant (Guthridge)
Then hired a jerk (Doherty)
Then a Hall of Fame coach (Williams)
Then promoted an assistant (Davis)
...
 
Kentucky had a Hall of Fame coach (rupp)
Then a good coach who won a national championship (Joe Hall)
Then a drunk (Eddie Sutton)
Then a Hall of Fame coach (Pitino)
Then a good coach who won a national championship (Tubby Smith)
Then a drunk (Billy Clyde Gillispie)
Then a Hall of Fame coach (Calipari)
And now Mark Pope (who is a good coach but let's hope he doesn't win a national championship)

Carolina had a Hall of Fame coach (GOAT, Dean Smith)
Then promoted an assistant (Guthridge)
Then hired a jerk (Doherty)
Then a Hall of Fame coach (Williams)
Then promoted an assistant (Davis)
...
Uh oh.
 
Kentucky had a Hall of Fame coach (rupp)
Then a good coach who won a national championship (Joe Hall)
Then a drunk (Eddie Sutton)
Then a Hall of Fame coach (Pitino)
Then a good coach who won a national championship (Tubby Smith)
Then a drunk (Billy Clyde Gillispie)
Then a Hall of Fame coach (Calipari)
And now Mark Pope (who is a good coach but let's hope he doesn't win a national championship)

Carolina had a Hall of Fame coach (GOAT, Dean Smith)
Then promoted an assistant (Guthridge)
Then hired a jerk (Doherty)
Then a Hall of Fame coach (Williams)
Then promoted an assistant (Davis)
...
Welcome coach!
Drunk GIF
 
I’d be more open to a hire like Byington than most people if we can’t land one of TJO/Lloyd/May, but for better or worse I just can’t see it getting past Donovan if those 3 all pass.
 
I’d be more open to a hire like Byington than most people if we can’t land one of TJO/Lloyd/May, but for better or worse I just can’t see it getting past Donovan if those 3 all pass.
May and LLoyd are 1A and 1B for me. TJO is 2 and Byington is 3. I don't see UNC not getting one of them.
 
Been saying this will not be a mad rush to take this job. Lloyd is very unlikely but more possible than Dusty May, if only bc Lloyd apparently not enthralled with the new AD there (much like helped Roy decide he could leave kansas).

I would say Billy D likely in the lead if he is willing to resign from Bulls before season over. And if not, we will be lucky to get Byington
 
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