As the Illini basketball season winds down, there’s only one topic on everybody’s mind- who will replace Head Coach John Groce.
Last week we did a piece exploring five potential replacements and since we published it, everybody and their brother (aside from the BTN, as that’s a marketing/promotional tool of the league where alternative facts reign) who covers, or even follows this team has written an Illini basketball head coaching candidates piece.
There’s currently a raging bull market for discussion on this topic as thus we commence our sequel- “six more Illini basketball head coaching candidates.”
https://twitter.com/PaulMBanks/status/831929974852636673
The Budget
You’ll hear a ton of Illini basketball program nay-sayers regurgitating the “they could never get Coach XYZ” as speculation continues to ramp up. Don’t listen to that noise. If you have the right amount of money lined up, most guys will at least listen, if not take it.
Think of the chorus from Biggie and Jay-Z: “I love the dough, more than you know. Gotta let it show, I love the dough.”
As Loren Tate, long-running staple of official Illini basketball programming wrote in the News-Gazette:
SEC officials made it public that long-term members of that conference received more than $40 million in media distributions in 2015-16. Big Ten distributions are widely reported as greater … which means, basically, Illinois can pay a basketball coach $20 million (plus perks) over six years and never blink.
The Big Ten check is in the mail, and distributions will leap further with the new rights contract.
In order to get a top notch candidate, the whole regime change (contract plus buyouts) costs could be in the $25-35 million range.
The Marketplace
The first domino fell last week as the NC State job opened up. It’s widely believed that Missouri could be next. The Ohio State gig could be opening up if Thad Matta is forced out or if he decides to leave because of his back issues. Keep an eye on the Tom Crean situation at Indiana. Crean is in year nine of a very expensive 12-year contract, but all the signs indicate that his seat is scorching right now (here’s a link to much more on this).
If the Hoosiers do decide to move on (and Dick Vitale’s unprofessional info-mercials for Crean during the Purdue-Indiana telecast indicates IU might be), that would pose a big problem for Illini A.D. Josh Whitman in his coaching search.
Counzo Martin: the Hot Rumor and Logical Fit
The East Saint Louis native can, will, and currently is recruiting the state of Illinois with a vengeance. It remains to be seen whether those recruits will end up at Illinois, Missouri or California. Martin’s coaching career has included two stops in West Lafayette as an assistant: WL high school, and at his alma mater Purdue, where he was second banana to the Big Dog Glenn Robinson on some very good Boilermaker teams as a player.
He then played in the league for a bit with the Grizzlies and Bucks.
Martin has done a decent job moving the California program forward; displaying a fine ability to land McDonald’s All-Americans and other five star prospects. He certainly seems to be “the people’s choice” and there have been reports claiming he’s interested.
However, on October 25, 2016, Martin agreed to a contract extension through the 2020–21 season at California.
Don’t you have a bit of reservation about someone who moved to Cal from Tennessee just three years ago, signs a five year extension in the fall, and then bolts for another place in the spring?
Doesn’t this situation remind you a little bit of Bill Self?
While Martin to Illinois would break the hearts of both Cal and Purdue fans, he could also let down Illini basketball fans a couple years down the road.
Forget about it:
Sources: Illinois willing to make Monty Williams one of NCAA’s top paid coaches, but he'll pass. He’s focused on prompt NBA coaching return.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 11, 2017
Monty Williams: the Most Intriguing Idea
Given that Williams has no experience coaching at the college level, doubting his recruiting ability is sometimes an immediate reflex. No worries there because Williams brings Team USA basketball cachet and credibility, a huge competitive advantage in recruiting.
Coach K. exploits that to his advantage, and it pays off big, just like Dukie Jay Williams said in our exclusive conversation.
The NBA background would be a great selling point on the recruiting trail too. Monty led the New Orleans Pelicans to the NBA playoffs twice, and he currently holds a V.P. position with the San Antonio Spurs, a post he assumed in September.
He’s rumored to be a leading candidate due to the belief that he has the approval of Team USA basketball director Jerry Colangelo. That has major weight as the Philadelphia 76ers Special Adviser and former Phoenix Suns Owner has about as much clout as any Illini basketball alum.
Leonard Hamilton: one that got away last time?
In 2012, then-Illinois Athletic Director Mike Thomas whiffed on Shaka Smart and Brad Stevens. It was widely reported that he failed in his next few attempts as well. Various articles covering the coaching search named Anthony Grant, Lorenzo Romar and Leonard Hamilton as targets who refused the gig.
Florida State is having a special season, currently 21-5, 9-4 in the ACC and ranked #17 in the country, so maybe it’s time for Illinois to try again? Those against this idea will point out his age (68), but it’s clear Hamilton still has quite a few years left in his career, and he’s achieved quite a bit. Hamilton has not thrown away his shot in March Madness, guiding two different Florida schools to the Sweet Sixteen.
Should #FSUTwitter get ahold of this article…better just go turn Twitter notifications off right now.
Other Names to Consider
Frank Martin seems to have finally turned South Carolina around, and his time in the palmetto state has seen a consistent upward trajectory. In his previous stop, Kansas State, he took the Wildcats to an Elite 8.
Kevin Keatts is the 44-year-old UNC-Wilmington head man and he might just be the next big thing in the basketball coaching world. He’s won the conference in both of his first two years on the job and may get a third this March.
Gregg Marshall is the new Shaka Smart- leader of a mid-major powerhouse who will be linked to every open power five job, every season, until he finally leaves. Many Illini basketball fans would be overjoyed if they bring him up from Wichita State.
Somebody No One has Even Mentioned Yet
Absolutely no one saw the Lovie Smith hire coming. Whitman could make another move like that, which seemingly happened “overnight” and to the outside observer “came out of nowhere.” However, to Whitman, it was the definitive plan all along.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times and NBC Chicago.com, contributes to Chicago Tribune.com, Bold, WGN CLTV and KOZN.
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