Jon Sanderson Joins Illinois Basketball as Consultant
As if it wasn't already bad enough that he left our program, Sanderson takes a job with Illinois basketball as a sports performance consultant. What a miserable season this has been.
I mean at this point, we deserve whatever we get until Juwan is let go. Assuming he’s let go at all. The fact that he hasn’t been let go already is pretty damning in and of itself.
Now you have Sanderson running off to Illinois? Tell me how Michigan doesn’t deserve that right now.
Kwame left the city of Detroit in better shape than Juwan is leaving this program. What a fucking disaster.
Take it for what it's worth. A buddy of mine is friends with their family. He's been pretty adamant for months that Jon was leaving, and he preferred to go to Ohio State (over a couple other schools). This Illinois job is not meant to be a permanent thing for him. And OSU is still a likely landing spot if he's offered a job. Also, his kid was never coming here, so long as Juwan was still in charge. So, thank you Warde, I guess.
March 15th, 2024 at 10:15 AM ^
We're stuck with another year of Juwan. Period. Wish he would leave with the same grace that the Stanford hoops coach just did (read the notes from his final press conference). He got fired but accepted accountability. Juwan will insist his shit works (3-17, 8-24) even when he's finally shown the door.
The issue with Sanderson was probably brewing for a few years. He sounds like a Mike Barwis type of guy. Maybe some softer edges but still pushed people like Duncan Robinson and Nik S. to be the best version of themselves. Juwan probably kept him for continuity and as part of a bargain with JB's guys to stop them from wanting to transfer.
Whoever mentioned that it was a mistake for Juwan to have had his sons on the roster nailed it. I have known a few people who were coached by their dad. They would talk often about how they were expected to be the most dedicated and least praised (and most criticized) and how it helped them be the very best later in life. Sadly, Jett and Jace have a petty entitlement mentality that I don't think Juwan had as a player. This is not to say the younger generation (I'm 60) has the same mindset as J&J - a lot of people in college sports playing or coaching under a parent feel more driven than ever (Jay H got to be an NFL coach because Jim wouldn't give him anything more than his first break).
It's clear the J&J fellas helped create a dysfunctional locker room and Juwan showed only tough love to Jon when he should have sided with him. Jett is going to be a bust. And I wouldn't hire Jace to even work in a carwash (his laziness would piss off the people who really worked hard).
March 15th, 2024 at 12:51 PM ^
Jett looking like one of the worst lottery picks in a while.
Also, the Magic’s 2 lottery picks last draft are looking like massive whiffs.
March 15th, 2024 at 10:55 AM ^
Illinois votes for Sanderson and if Warde thinks the call for Howard to step down is going to die out, I think he underestimates the level of animosity that has built up over all of this crap. Ono will need to step in as this only gets worse. Just wait for transfers out to hit home.
March 15th, 2024 at 12:24 PM ^
Good. Bury this fucking program in the ground. It is what the athletic department deserves