Too late to talk about this seriously

[sturt]

But you have to wonder if Bob Huggins isn't a little more inclined to think seriously about a pro job now.

And I have to wonder about that, b/c, I also have to wonder if KMart would have liked to have played for his old college coach again.

Just a stray thought.

[capstone21]

I really don't want another college coach.

[Plainview1981]

No college head coaches. They shouldn't even be considered.

[tmac13]

Some would argue that Huggins is already a pro coach.

[ATLien_]

Why would they argue that huggins is already a pro coach?

[JB20]

I wish I could've played for Huggins in college. Aside from the scholarship, you'd get a cool car and plenty of spending money. Then when your four or five years are over, you just drop out of school. No basketball players actually graduate at Cincy.

[TheDude]

what happened to that point guard/shooting guard kid who was in the draft i think last year..i was real high on him(as you can tell by me forgetting his name)..he was a little short and thick so they compared him to tim hardaway but he had some real skills. or at least it seemed he did.

[skaughtybee]

Quote:

---

what happened to that point guard/shooting guard kid who was in the draft i think last year..i was real high on him(as you can tell by me forgetting his name)..he was a little short and thick so they compared him to tim hardaway but he had some real skills. or at least it seemed he did.

---

Steve Logan.

[Traceman]

Huggins is one of the few college coaches I would consider if I owned an NBA franchise. His players all seem to love him (even if he didn't do anything to help them graduate) and they busted their asses playing hard for him. He DEMANDED that everyone play D and he would call out his stars if they didn't get after. I know K-Mart loves him so that certainly wouldn't hurt us in recruiting him. He might even bring DJ back.

The downside of course is that the NBA game is significantly different than the pro game and not all coaches can adjust. In addition, how would Huggins and his alcohol problem do in the ATL? I can just see him now getting arrested for DUI after leaving one of our many strip clubs or local watering holes. The last thing the Hawks need is more negative publicity.

[tmac13]

Because he has a very questionable reputation about how he gets alot of his prized recruits and then what happenswhen they get there..Nothing has been proven, but he is considered to be much like Jerry Tarkanian once was.

[Sage11]

I just like to comment on the aspect of the "pro" game being "different" than the college game. I agree in principle but I think we need to also realize that the pro game has become more like the college game with the zone introduced, high school players needing development etc. Free agency produces player turnover similar to the college. LA is talking to Coach K and maybe we need to rethink our position based upon the new realities of in the NBA as they have.

[Wretch]

No matter how much the rules change or what type of players come in, the NBA still represents the creme of the crop. These guys are highly skilled and highly paid. It's a different set of egos, ambitions, and competition. You need professional coaches that can manage professional players through professional basketball.

[Sage11]

That professional better be able to teach and be liked by the mega stars on the teams. Kobe wants a college coach and he may get one for the mighty Lakers. I agree the NBA is for professionals, but the professionals are more and more young boys who need developing, college coaches live by developing and in the new youger NBA, college coaches are getting a closer look. Many NBA coaches are infamous for not developing young players.

[Wretch]

Yes, there are plenty of young guys coming into the league and yes, there are spoiled veteran players who act like boys - but these guys are still miles above the competition faced at the college level. Most of the players coming into the college system are raw and are desperately looking to get to the next level. It's a different set of players.

The pro game is faster, lasts longer, and it PAYS MILLIONS. You have to have guys that understand that and can effectively manage it.

[Sage11]

I think we see eye to eye on this. I do not disagree with you. I just see the league moving to more "development" of a player to do a job rather than trained "professionals" who are "ready" to do the job they are being payed millions to perform. GM's are looking for returns on the millions they are paying young men on pure potential. Coaching can ruin that potential million dollar investment; so the new reality may be to bring in college coaches to develop them. Do I think this is good for the game, too early to tell. In the past college coaches jumping to the NBA has been a disaster, (Pinto, Kurger etc.). I prefer a seasoned NBA coachs for NBA teams but with the exit of Phil Jackson, the potential pool of proven winners is shallow as the lakers have discovered. The NBA is changing as waves of High School and College players leave early for the NBA. It could be argued that a college coach mentality is necessary for success in the new NBA. Granted, I want a NBA coach with a develepers heart to coach the Hawks than another college coach.