to potentially replace Cal when he retires from UK? Has Jay Wright shot up to your list? Plays a decent style of ball, recruits classy kids, 4* and 5* kids.
If Jay Wright keeps it up... would he be a candidate...
- Thread starter Farsight
- Start date
This certainly shoots him up the list but at this point I don't see him leaving Villanova. He is now a god there.
Cal 57 Wright 54....next question.
Jay has been approached by UK a couple of times. He never was interested.
Pretty common knowledge.
Pretty common knowledge.
He already won a title at Nova..... he doesnt need to come to UK now. Nova is a basketball school ... if they were a football school... then I'd say its possible but .... even if Cal was to leave next year........... 0% of landing Wright now.
I think he was on a list, but I personally believe he was never approached. I've asked several people this same question, some guys who would absolutely know, or they should. Every time the answer was no, as far as they know.
Wright is born and raised in the Philly area, grew up a Villanova fan, cut his chops and got his coaching start as a Villanova assistant, and has said he's already got his dream job. So what makes you think he'd leave for us or any other college job?
I suspect an NBA opportunity is the only thing that might pry him away from what he already has.
I suspect an NBA opportunity is the only thing that might pry him away from what he already has.
He is a nova guy. Let him be. He is a legend there now. Not to mention he was almost fired just a year or so,ago.
He was looked at during our last coaching search. I personally liked him many others don't.
Usually has good teams but doesn't recruit the best but why should he? Gets occasional 5 star players but they don't leave early and usually stay for a while.
I don't care if we get 3 star guys who never go pro as I don't care about he nba I just care about UK. I want to win titles.
We have been close many times under cal and his model. Our best teams have a mixture of talented freshmen and upperclassmen. So that seems to be the model of having a good team.
With any game if you shoot well you win.
Usually has good teams but doesn't recruit the best but why should he? Gets occasional 5 star players but they don't leave early and usually stay for a while.
I don't care if we get 3 star guys who never go pro as I don't care about he nba I just care about UK. I want to win titles.
We have been close many times under cal and his model. Our best teams have a mixture of talented freshmen and upperclassmen. So that seems to be the model of having a good team.
With any game if you shoot well you win.
Nova will keep being relevant in the NCAA tournament picture.
Can he go to UK and get a little bit better? Sure.
But Nova has been very good, dare we say an Elite program as far as programs have gone over the past 10 years.
I have no doubt that if you ask Wright, he'll tell you it's one of the elite basketball schools in the country. And he built it back into that.
Why leave that?
Can he go to UK and get a little bit better? Sure.
But Nova has been very good, dare we say an Elite program as far as programs have gone over the past 10 years.
I have no doubt that if you ask Wright, he'll tell you it's one of the elite basketball schools in the country. And he built it back into that.
Why leave that?
I've seen you mention this a couple of times.
Believe me he was seriously discussed and feelers went out.
Guys, it's UK. It doesn't matter how good Nova is or what history they have. If Kentucky was seriously looking at Jay Wright, he would come. You don't turn down Kentucky, unless you don't want the pressure aka Donovan. Jay Wright is at a basketball school, so he obviously loves the pressure.
Except he did and so did others like Lute Olsen.
UK isn't for everyone.
Pretty easy to locate the truth out there...
They could have. I thought so enough to actually ask a few years ago. Maybe the 2 I asked didnt know about it, but they both said no, as far as they know. Pratt usually knows the ins and outs.
Any way, just telling ya what I heard.
Lute Olson was probably coming, and I believe even accepted the job. Sometimes spouses, friends, family, etc stand in the way.
If you he's not on your list, you need to be relieved of your list making duties...
this isn't caught up in the moment reaction...always been a Jay Wright fan...smooth operator, great coach...has a certain aura about him that makes you feel confident in what he's doing...always been able to recruit very good players to Nova and develop them into successful teams...
Right now though...after winning title, he may be a Nova lifer...
I think the only reason he would have considered leaving before would be for a better shot and winning a title...now he has that title and he's going to be in a position to make runs again...Villinova had some basketball history...but it had been forgotten...He has reestablished them as a basketball school...
Nova should be a non blue blood player so long as he's there...
this isn't caught up in the moment reaction...always been a Jay Wright fan...smooth operator, great coach...has a certain aura about him that makes you feel confident in what he's doing...always been able to recruit very good players to Nova and develop them into successful teams...
Right now though...after winning title, he may be a Nova lifer...
I think the only reason he would have considered leaving before would be for a better shot and winning a title...now he has that title and he's going to be in a position to make runs again...Villinova had some basketball history...but it had been forgotten...He has reestablished them as a basketball school...
Nova should be a non blue blood player so long as he's there...
Like him a whole lot, but he's Philly through and through. Wouldn't take it.
Having said that, I see he's made the NCAAT 11 times in the last 12 years, but in 6 of those years he's lost in the first or second round. The last two years in particular he's had top 5 teams, seeded first or second, and lost in round 2. In case you guys might have missed it, that wouldn't fly around here. We don't tolerate losing as a 1 seed to another 1 seed. Losing as a 1 seed to a 9? World would end.
Having said that, I see he's made the NCAAT 11 times in the last 12 years, but in 6 of those years he's lost in the first or second round. The last two years in particular he's had top 5 teams, seeded first or second, and lost in round 2. In case you guys might have missed it, that wouldn't fly around here. We don't tolerate losing as a 1 seed to another 1 seed. Losing as a 1 seed to a 9? World would end.
Someone above you posted that they've looked into him in the past, and he aint here, soo...
Izzo was in the same boat and I think its pretty common knowledge if we offered him the job the year we got Cal then he would have took the job. Now that Wright has won a title I think he is more apt to listen to Kentucky's offer.
Jay Wright rode one of the hottest shooting streaks in tournament history. Its easy to look like a great coach when your players seemingly cant miss at times.
Look at what hes accomplished outside of this year. Next to nothing.
Look at what hes accomplished outside of this year. Next to nothing.
I was never crazy about Jay wright as a candidate for UK and I'm still not.
Look at his overall record there. I realIze it's harder to win at Nova than UK but he's been to 2 final fours in 15 seasons and only made it past the first weekend 5 times.
He's basically a poor man's Bill Self.
Look at his overall record there. I realIze it's harder to win at Nova than UK but he's been to 2 final fours in 15 seasons and only made it past the first weekend 5 times.
He's basically a poor man's Bill Self.
You know, I see guys like you claiming this sort of thing, but the truth is I've seen PLENTY of guys turn down UK over the years. I remember Donovan flat turning us down TWICE (in both 07 and 09), I remember Lute Olsen flat turning us down TWICE (in both 85 and 89), I remember PJ Carlesimo flat turning us down to stay at Seton Hall over us (in 89), and there have been more than a few others that've rejected our overtures over the years.
Believe it or not, not everybody is begging to become the UK coach. Some guys are actually happy where they are. Take a guy like Jay Wright---born and raised in the Philly area as a Villlanova fan, former Villanova assistant--already has said Villanova was his dream job--If he wants to move up, he's reached a point where NBA offers would be available. So why deal with the often painful fishbowl that is UK coach in Lexington when one can instead take a cushy NBA job or stay at your childhood Villanova dream job?
Last edited:
Jay Wright would be a horrible choice for UK. He couldn't handle the pressure. He's much more comfortable in a job with no pressure to get to the FF. Now that he's won it all, he's locked in there for life. He'll be a god in Philly like Rollie and he's a Philly guy.
It takes a special special person to be coach at the most envied,watched gold standard program to date..A whole lot more than coaching, a 24-7 spotlight on you and everything you do, everything about coach,family, and even his dog is open game for the most vile people ever, fan base included and the list just goes on. The only 2 coaches IMO that handled the situation well since I have been a fan is Joe B and Calipari, however Joe B had a whole different setting as coach too. The limelight got to Sutton, Pitino, Smith, and it literally ate up Billy Clyde, he was over his head from the start. With that being said, I don't think there is anybody out there right now that can withstand the demands that this job would put on them. Think about it, trying to follow up and stay with the recruiting of talent that Cal has set the bar to. That's a shoulder load right out of the gate, Again, I can't think of anybody who would fill Cal's shoes and carry on with what he has done. The pressure would devour them.
I like how OP used a cliffhanger on the thread title like we didn't know where he was going with this.
The knee jerk reactions after a coach wins a title needs to stop. Remember how everybody thought Tubby and Kevin Ollie were so great after one title? I don't think Wright would be the great fit for the program post Cal. The next guy will have to be an ELITE recruiter with tons of personality. Jay has the personality but is not an elite recruiter. The way he builds a program takes time and will result in lots of first and second round tourney exits while he coaches up his three and four star recruits.
The knee jerk reactions after a coach wins a title needs to stop. Remember how everybody thought Tubby and Kevin Ollie were so great after one title? I don't think Wright would be the great fit for the program post Cal. The next guy will have to be an ELITE recruiter with tons of personality. Jay has the personality but is not an elite recruiter. The way he builds a program takes time and will result in lots of first and second round tourney exits while he coaches up his three and four star recruits.