The New UK Basketball Coach: Pat Summitt (I Wish)

When Kentucky hired Tubby Smith 10 years ago, Smith became the first Black coach in UK’s history.  Kentucky now has a chance to make history again, not only for itself, but for all Division 1 Men’s basketball teams and schools.  They could do this by hiring the most successful coach of all time in the history of college basketball:  Pat Summitt.

While it seems as though Kentucky is biding its time for Florida to finish its season so it can offer the head coaching job to Billy Donavan, purportedly for as much as 2.5 to 4 million dollars a year.  I believe that Donavan, even if offered the job, will ultimately decide to remain at Florida.  An offer from Kentucky will provide him with the opportunity to collect at least as much money from his current employer, virtually guaranteeing an increase of between 1.5 to 2.5 million in his current salary.  UK is, for Donavan, a bargaining chip, and when all is said an done he will probably stay where he is.

Who does that leave for Kentucky to pursue?  Here is the rundown in my opinion:

Rick Pitino has said unequivocally that he is not interested in returning to UK.

John Calipari has (thankfully in my opinion) signed a long-term extension with Memphis.  One would think this would preclude him from taking the Kentucky job, and that is fine with me, given his troubled past with the University of Massachusetts.

John Pelphrey and Travis Ford, though alumni of UK’s basketball program and loved by Wildcat fans because of this, are still very early in their coaching careers and are not the marquee coach that UK is seeking or deserves.

Pat Riley would probably not leave the NBA for college hoops, though I wouldn’t mind him coming to UK.  And Mark Few, highly successful at Gonzaga, may not be ready or willing to leave a very comfortable situation where he is for the fishbowl that is Kentucky basketball.

Rick Barnes, though successful overall at Texas, has never been too successful in NCAA tournament play, and this was one of the knocks against Smith.  Tom Izzo is a Michigan native with many strong ties to Michigan State and a salary (counting various outside compensations) that reportedly is close to 12 million.  Tom Crean, though undoubtedly a good coach, is still at the beginning of his career and has lost 11 or more games each of the last three seasons (another complaint against “Ten-Loss Tubby” as Smith was derogatorily called by some).

I am sure that I have left out a few names, but let’s face it, other than a few names mentioned above, no one else in my opinion is a great pick for Kentucky.  That is why I want to recommend Pat Summitt.

Now I know that she may also be a long shot.  After all she has been at Tennessee for forever and a day - 32 seasons as head coach.  She is also the highest paid women’s basketball coach at over a million dollars.  She may have no desire to leave Tennessee.  But I think that Kentucky should at least consider her as a candidate and even offer her the job.  Summitt has more wins than any other basketball coach (men’s or women’s), currently at 945 wins.  Other accomplishments include:

• 14-time SEC Champions (1980, 1985, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007
• 12-time SEC Tournament Champions (1980, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2006)
• 7-time SEC Coach of the Year (1983, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2007)
• 7-time NCAA Coach of the Year (1983, 1987, 1989, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2004), and most importantly
• 6-time NCAA Champions (1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998) - the most of any active coach in NCAA Division (source)

Summitt has the coaching credentials.  She has the prestige.  She has the ability to turn around a program somewhat in doldrums, and her hiring would instantly recharge the UK men’s basketball program.  UK could offer to triple or quadruple her current salary.  It could also point out (as if she didn’t know this) that one of Summit’s own former assistant coaches is now the head coach of UK’s women’s basketball team.  And then there is the history-making facet of her taking the job as the first woman coach of a NCAA Division 1 Men’s Basketball Team.

Some may think this is just an April’s Fools joke, but I am serious.  I think Summitt would be a perfect match for UK.  It would be great if this could/would happen.

Technorati tags: UK, Kentucky, Basketball, coach, Billy Donovan, Mark Few, Tom Izzo, Pat Riely, Rick Barnes, John Pelphrey, John Calipari, Travis Ford, Tom Crean, Pat Summitt