Lavall Jordan the front runner to be Stevens' succesor at Butler
Just read a paywalled story on the ESPN website. I thought we had Blueitt all but wrapped after yesterday's announcement. I'm not so sure anymore...
to you sir
Gouda hell away Butler.
With great success it was inevitable that other schools would approach our assistants. You can't begrudge these guys their own opportunities, but damn it will suck to lose them.
Ummmm, NO
Congrats to him. No doubt the team got significantly better since Beilein overhauled his assistants and IIRC, Jordan worked with the guards, who have all been excellent lately. A well deserved promotion for him if he gets it
Plus, we can be a bit happy about this. Isn't a tell-tale sign of a good program or good coaching that other programs come hunting for your assistants? We've come a long way
It's a tell tale sign of a good program to continue on an upward trajectory all the way to the NCAA title game. That's more than enough evidence for me, losing assistants to other schools gives some amount of validation to the program's success but it's not really necessary in my opinion, we already know we're operating very well.
It wouldn't be the end of the world if one of our assistants left, but it certainly wouldn't be a good thing. That's one silver lining I just can't take pleasure in at this point.
Goodman is decent on specuations, but he isn't perfect. His move to ESPN from CBS Sports also makes me want to take a "wait and see" attitude. ESPN wants scoops and bold predictions for their entertainment value. CBS usually wants them to be a bit more accurate.
Anyway, I'll believe it when it is reported as fact. Ultimately, though, I agree with Don. If Jordan does get the job, congratulations. He has earned it. It's actually a compliment to John Beilein and Michigan when other schools start going after assistants. It also lets other promising assistants know that Michigan is a good place to go for upward mobility.
I suspect Goodman probably has talked to people close to the program. You didn't need to talk to anyone to speculate Jordan would be the front runner, especially so once Matt Graves said he was staying at South Alabama.
The more the Beilien coaching tree grows, the more prestige our program will have. Kids like Blueitt can come and go (hopefully come), but its nice to have our staff be recognized.
Hopefully Lavall gets the job, he has been fantastic. If not, at least it is a sign to the staff that if they work hard and learn from Beilien, they can be in the running for some serious jobs in the future.
Just for my information...If JB were struck by lightning tomorrow, who do you suppose would be named interim head coach? Is it a situation where he could stick it out here and grab the Michigan gig when Beilein retires, or do you think Jeff Meyer has the upper hand there(he makes 160,000 to Bacari/Lavall's 155,000...but Jeff is only a year younger than JB)? They each have their own strengths. I hope they all stick around.
In my opinion, I think Lavall Jordan is the successor to JB at this point in time (atleast in terms of current assistants). That being said, I think JB will be here for the foreseeable future. So Jordan may have to leave and come back if he wants the michigan head coaching job. He's an excellent coach and I just don't see him sticking around as an assistant for the next 8-10 years or however long JB decides he wants to stay.
It's okay though, Hoke left and learned how to run a program and then returned to take over. Maybe Lavall will do the same!
I think that Bacari's name is the "hot name" because he is more visible on social media (HALOL) and in videos as far as interviews and his pre-game speeches etc. So I don't doubt that Bacari as the next in line is a school of thought going around, but in my opinion, if we're talking what would happen right this minute if Beilein were to step down, I would still say that Jordan is the coach. Again, just my opinion.
Alright DB all those uniforms had to pay for something! Time to open the purse strings. I expect Michigan should make a competitive offer to retain him...
You serious? You think you can convince a young guy with coaching aspirations to stay as an assistant coach versus going back to his alma mater, which is also a very good basketball school? They were paying Stevens > $1.2M, no way we can keep him here if they offer him the job.
You really want Jalen talking with Moms and Dads about letting their sons come here? I'm sure he would do a fine job at it, but how many parents would falsely associate Michigan with the Michigan of past (or Jalen's recent DUI)?
When's the last time Jalen has coached? Recruited? I'd rather look for the next LaVall Jordan than bring on a talking head just because he's an alum and had a long NBA career.
Yeah, that DUI thing really hurt Harbaugh's recruiting at Stanford.
Can't blame a guy for going to his alma mater
Of course it had to happen sooner or later, was justing hoping for later. Especially with these talented young and incoming guards who'll be disappointed not to have Jordan here developing them. But both of our young assistants are prime candidates for poaching, and considering that Jordan played and coached for Butler, I'm thinking he won't be turning down the opportunity. Like former M ass't Hoke willing to walk to Ann Arbor. The chance to go back home as head man doesn't come around that often.
Best case senario: Jordan leaves to coach at Butler and sustains their program success. Beilein continues to develop Michigan into a basketball powerhouse with a couple of big ten titles and deep tourney runs before retiring in 5-10 years. Jordan is now a hot comodity and has significant HC experience, and returns to Michigan as Beilein's successor.
If offered he has to go and we should happy for him. This is college basketball, not the NBA. The only real constant is the Head Coach and even that is questionable at times. Assistants are young and the pay increase from assistant to head coach can not be turned down, especially at your Alma Matter. If he accepts, all we can do is wish him luck and realize that he is doing what is best for himself.
I wish him well at whatever he decides. He will be missed.
To play devil's advocate, if Jordan takes the job, will Beilein say he should sit out a year? Beilein is on the record as saying all transfers should sit out a year, regardless of situation. He also seems to defend this by worrying that a player will take his playbook somewhere else. Obviously, having an assistant take his playbook ought to be much more concerning.
Personally, I think Jordan should definitely be able to take the job without restriction if it furthers his career, just like a player should be able to go to a different school without restriction if it may further their career. I like Beilein, but if he supports Jordan going, it comes off as pretty hypocritical.
are you serious?
Unless he had that specific language as part of the non compete that I'm sure he signed.
Maybe I'm rationalizing just because I really don't want to see Lavall go, but if they hire Brandon Miller, they are going to get someone who might be able to emulate what Stevens had (with the increased emphasis on informatics). Whereas if they hire Lavall, he's never coached with Stevens before so he won't have the slightest clue what Stevens was doing with numbers but he will be a really good X's and O's/ developmental coach. Hopefully they want to keep the numbers approach that Stevens had because Miller is probably the only candidate who has an idea of how to replicate it.
This of course assumes that Lavall doesn't just try to learn the numbers approach from one of the assistants that remains at Butler.
According to this, Jordan will at least meet with Butler sometime this weekend (LINK).
"Michigan assistant and former Butler player LaVall Jordan has emerged as the front-runner to replace coach Brad Stevens and is expected to meet with Bulldogs athletic director Barry Collier in the next 24 to 48 hours, sources with knowledge of the situation told ESPN.com."
Well shit.
is why I hope UofD can stay good enough to not fire their coach and just average enough that Ray McCallum stays off the radar of other schools' coaching searches. I'm sure Bacari would be at the top of their list to replace him.
ESPN reporting that Albion native LaVall Jordan is the front-runner to land the vacant head coaching position at... http://t.co/domgi41U7Q
— BC Enquirer Sports (@bcesports) July 4, 2013
- 2× NBA champion (2012–2013)
- NBA All-Star (1996)
- 40 years old, now the oldest active NBA player.
- a strong leader inside the MIami locker room, he gave a passionate halftime speech that was widely credited for firing up the team to clinch the Eastern championship vs Indiana.
- also served as a "quasi-assistant "coach during the playoffs.
Granted, Juwan might not fill the gap in training guards left by Lavall Jordan or guarantee that we lure the Indiana guard recruit away from Butler. But he would be a much bigger name, as well as a great coach, and could help UM land Stephen Zimmerman, the big man from Las Vegas (ranked as high as #2 in the nation).
Does anybody here know what Juwan's status is? Does he plan to retire from the NBA soon?
I think Juwan would be a great, great coach, and I expect that will be his next career path. But he's a big man that would be better to replace Bacari, not Lavall Jordan.
So, if Jalen says no, and Juwan isn't the right fit, I'd next suggest Jimmy King or Ray Jackson. If they both say no, Pelinka.
But Pelinka is a Lawyer (and agent for Kobe Bryant). Jackson runs a moving company. Jimmy King has a history of some past legal problems. Jalen Rose would be a superstar addition, but he already has a great broadcast career that does more for UM's image than any minor coaching role would.
So, back to my previous suggestion: I wonder if some reshuffling of duties in the current staff could replace Lavall and also find a place for Juwan Howard. Current UM coach, Jeff Meyer ,coached guards Darius Morris (now with the Lakers) and Eric Gordon (New Orleans Pelicans). Likewise, I wonder if Belein himself would like more hands-on experience coaching the guards (like what Hoke does for the FB team). Also, some kind of semi-administrative or recruiting role might interest a current UM coach or Juwan himself.
My greatest concern with this plan would be it's possible effect on the chemistry of the current UM coaching staff. So, it would be good to consult them first. But if Lavall leaves, some adjustments will need to be made anyway. And IMO, Juwan would be too good an opportunity to pass up. Besides, he could develop into the ideal HC to succeed Beilein one day. That would provide a seamless transition which keeps current players and recruits and builds on the program's great momentum..
http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/jeff_meyer_473909.html
Just stop, I can't handle that. That would be too amazing to experience, and you're just setting me up for dissappointment and heart break, man.
......well, you know the rest.
I can't imagagine many better places for Juwan to be if he wants to coach college BB.
If he wants to start out as HC, that's different. But, if team chemistry permits, maybe we could make him an asst HC from the get-go.
My guess is that our major competition would be from the NBA--particularly the Miami Heat.
But Juwan may be as sick of Lebron as mos of us are....I hope.
/s x infinity
One interesting possibliity would be Lavall's main competition for the HC job at Butler, Brandon Miller. Miller probably will not want to stay if he loses the battle to be HC and Lavall probably would not want a rival as an assistant anyway.
Miller also could help attract Blueitt to UM, since he has undboubteldy played a role in Blueitt's recruitment to Butler--just as Lavall has played a role in his recruitment to UM.
Miller could also fill the gap left by Lavall in traning guards. Miller not only played guard but was one of the most decorated players in Butler program history. He led the 2003 Butler team to its first Sweet 16 in 41 years. I would guess that he also learned a lot about the "quantitative approach" used by his boss, the Butler coach who just left for the Celtics.
With all the questions now at Butler after the loss of its best HC ever, and with Blueitt's main recruiter at Butler gone, UM would ba in an even stronger position--if indeed UM still needs such help..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandon_Miller_%28basketball%29