Oats says no

[permdaddy_rivals45705]

You don't need to be at UK, UNC, Duke or Kansas anymore.
All you need is 2 things.

1) Be in a power 5 preferably SEC or Big Ten
2) Have the NIL commitment.

Whole lot of schools can offer that now.

 

[Sportspm]

I just saw a post on Facebook from a Bulls fan saying if Billy Donovan is offered the job, he likely accepts. So who knows

 

[BigRedMachineBigBlueNation]

There's two incentives to come here:

1. The contract we will give out.
2. And the possible allure of coaching at a storied program. Something that I think only a few select coaches even want.

And let's be real, it's really #1. It's not a wealthy state, it's not a desired city. There's little in the way of local regional recruiting, it's a demanding fanbase, the NIL opportunities are probably lacking for how big our program is, we get no special treatment from the NCAA like Duke and Kansas, our home court provides little advantage, etc.

To those within the state, this is the #1 program destination and everyone is just playing for 2nd.. to college ball fans outside of KY, it's just not.

Now, I think it could get back there.. and man it almost did with Cal if he could have just kept it going a little longer. But we need to make this next coaching hire an A+ especially after the national debacle were going through now.

And Storrs, Connecticut, Lawrence, Kansas, Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina are destination cities?

 

[westerncat]

We as fans really do not know who has been contacted . A lot of fans just throwing things out there. We will know something in the next few days.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

We'll see.. but not sure I agree with the notion that hiring Drew doesn't mean we're not the pinnacle of CBB, but instead, it just means we have a bad AD. I think that's a bit of a cop out after yet another hire that was pretty lukewarm. I think there's bigger things at play here. But we will just have to wait and see. Who knows maybe we can land the next great hire.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

And Storrs, Connecticut, Lawrence, Kansas, Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina are destination cities?

Kansas isn't. I think Kansas is in trouble.

But the research Triangle? Absolutely. Storrs sucks, but it IS still two hours from NYC and Boston. And Hurley has the northeast recruiting on lock if he wants it. Uconn also has the claim that they are college basketballs best team over the last 30 years and it's no longer even close.

Connecticut also is a richer state with a richer alumni base. A heck of a lot of CT is based off of work in NYC. LOTS of NIL potential. It's a fanbase far bigger than people here realize.

 

[catfando]

That's kind of what I'm getting at. I hope we can stick this coaching hire, but I'm a little concerned UK isn't quite the spot some want to think it is.

With the right AD, one that can sell the job, we can poach any coach. But MB is like having an accountant. Wish he would've left with Cal.

 

[RoyKent]

Kyle and Nate are buddies. I would say he's officially off the market.

Cant be true. A bunch of people on here said Oats would listen and come to UK because Bama is a football school and we are Kentucky basketball

 

[CrimsonCats_rivals]

Put me in the category that thinks being a “blue blood” matters less than it used to. There’s plenty of evidence at this point whether it’s UCLA and Indiana churning through multiple adequate at best coaches, UNC and Duke enacting plans to pass the torch to assistants instead of hunting on the open market, or us getting turned down by our top choices in 2007 and apparently by Oats now.

That status mattered once upon a time when only a few traditional powers really invested in their program and facilities, got all the TV coverage, etc. In this modern era of big, conference wide TV contracts and the associated money that flows through programs, a lot of power conference teams have the resources to compete if they get the right coach at the right time. As a result, we’re seeing that name recognition alone isn’t going to allow you to easily poach coaches that are already at or near championship levels at other programs. That’s not bashing our program, it’s just the truth that I’m seeing right now.

 

[d2atTech]

Golden as in the University of Florida's Todd Golden? It absolutely won't be him. There are 15 more guys that get that call first.

Which is sad. Making the 5 year bet on golden puts us in a position to maximally derisk, while minimizing dollar spent on asinine coaching contracts.

 

[fredmanthecatfan]

Oates may end up not being our next coach, but the statement is likely coach speak.

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

And Storrs, Connecticut, Lawrence, Kansas, Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina are destination cities?

Lawrence? No
Chapel. hill? Not bad
Durham? ********

 

[Vismund]

Which is sad. Making the 5 year bet on golden puts us in a position to maximally derisk, while minimizing dollar spent on asinine coaching contracts.

Yeah, I'm cool with gambling but need a little bit more "seasoning" from a coach than 2 years in a major conference, 0 tourney wins and a 60% win rate.

There's a reason he'd be cheap.

 

[Vismund]

Cant be true. A bunch of people on here said Oats would listen and come to UK because Bama is a football school and we are Kentucky basketball

Kind of wild how you joke about Oats not listening in spite of Kyle (who's allegedly close with him) saying that he would have interest.

Maybe we didn't actually reach out?

 

[CatsnRoses]

First coaching search for some of you, huh? These statements mean exactly nothing.

 

[Phil_The_Music2]

While I believe Jay Wright's statement.. I don't believe Nate Oats at all.

But its going to be interesting to see if UK really is this coveted destination for coaching in 2024. It is NOT a good sign if some of these guys don't even have to think about leaving to come to UK. If Oats made up his mind in 5 seconds to stay at Alabama over UK (something Billy D essentially did 20 years ago), then maybe we need to take a long hard look in the mirror.

It's still a coveted destination, but by coaches who haven't had the opportunity to prove themselves with the tools we can offer. And our fans don't want anyone who hasn't already been super successful, thus our conundrum.

 

[NegaDave]

This is just a placeholder statement. If we want Oats, we'll get him

Just stop

 

[Howler__]

Kansas isn't. I think Kansas is in trouble.

But the research Triangle? Absolutely. Storrs sucks, but it IS still two hours from NYC and Boston. And Hurley has the northeast recruiting on lock if he wants it. Uconn also has the claim that they are college basketballs best team over the last 30 years and it's no longer even close.

Connecticut also is a richer state with a richer alumni base. A heck of a lot of CT is based off of work in NYC. LOTS of NIL potential. It's a fanbase far bigger than people here realize.

The conference alignment angle is one to consider. UConn better try harder at football if they want to make the cut.

 

[Vismund]

Just stop

Our insiders think Oats would be interested. In spite of what others have said, I see no indication that we've contacted him yet and that statement he made is straight out of the "I don't give a **** about UNC" playbook.

Hell, coach Brooks was talking about building VA Tech two weeks ago.

The only thing that would prevent it would be our AD.

 

[USMC Cat_rivals309254]

Well boys it looks like it's gonna get worse before it gets better tho it is a positive note that Cal is a goner. Coaching transitions most always suck!

Can't get worse...

We literally got bounced in embarrassing fashion when we DID make the tournament.

 

[Rideordiewildcat]

Kyle and Nate are buddies. I would say he's officially off the market.

If he wanted he it, he still wants it. Bama isn't the final destination for anyone without a football.

 

[Bob Dobalina_rivals396186]

What pressure? Cal has won one tournament game in 5 Years and wasn’t gonna be fired.

Bruce Pearl has won 2 Tournament games in 5 years and is thought of as a great coach by Kentucky fans. Many even want him to be the next coach. That’s the difference, at UK the pitchforks come out, everywhere else it’s a rough patch. That’s way more pressure here than any program in the country.

 

[know1]

Until there's a contract that's been signed, take anything said publicly with a huge grain of salt.

 

[EliteBlue]

Cant be true. A bunch of people on here said Oats would listen and come to UK because Bama is a football school and we are Kentucky basketball

This is why the “we can only consider names that have final 4s” is a losing mantra in today’s era. Oats would have listened 2 years ago. It was clear to anyone with any sense that what he had managed to do at Buffalo and Bama was nothing short of impressive and he had the personality and drive to win big here. KY would have helped him take the next step…..

But in the modern era where every team plays on national TV, there is less incentive to leave cushy, low expectation jobs if you already have it rolling and are a made man there, just to go to a historical program and have to win big consistently. Once you wait for them yo be a coach that’s made multiple final 4s etc; they are typically comfortable and getting more secure buyouts and raises in place at their current institution and then you get lifers like Jay Wright and Mark Fee staying at small time programs and making it their own.

 

[TopCatCal]

Kentucky isn’t going to get a top hire. They’ll get a good coach. Not a great coach. Coaches who already gave a good thing going, don’t need the pressure of this fan base to run them out after a few years if they don’t make a final 4. It just doesn’t make sense to leave a good situation for that

At this time when UK still has a coach. What would you expect Jay Wright & Nate Oates to say? Yeah I would love to coach there. Wright is probably very content with his life & has no desire to get back into coaching. But if him or Oates said, yeah I might like to coach at Kentucky & then UK hires someone else it makes them look bad. Wait until Calipari is officially gone. Then we'll see if they've got any desire to come here.

 

[Diggers_Matching_Highlighter_rivals62132]

Yeah, but has Rick Barnes chimed in yet?

 

[OmahaCats]

At this time when UK still has a coach. What would you expect Jay Wright & Nate Oates to say? Yeah I would love to coach there. Wright is probably very content with his life & has no desire to get back into coaching. But if him or Oates said, yeah I might like to coach at Kentucky & then UK hires someone else it makes them look bad. Wait until Calipari is officially gone. Then we'll see if they've got any desire to come here.

They don’t

 

[Pmalone6719]

While I believe Jay Wright's statement.. I don't believe Nate Oats at all.

But its going to be interesting to see if UK really is this coveted destination for coaching in 2024. It is NOT a good sign if some of these guys don't even have to think about leaving to come to UK. If Oats made up his mind in 5 seconds to stay at Alabama over UK (something Billy D essentially did 20 years ago), then maybe we need to take a long hard look in the mirror.

Spot on! New era for blue bloods!!!!

 

[Wildcats1st]

Spot on! New era for blue bloods!!!!

If you’re second option is in reality you’re 7th or 8th best option then we will never know.

 

[MegaBlue05]

This ^. The pressure from the BBN is real and a lot of coaches don’t want it. Plenty of money elsewhere.

I wish more people understood this.

And, if you follow historical patterns, we are due for a Hall/Smith type hire.