New Assistant?

[ripemupshocks]

I like DeCuire. His six years on the west coast could open-up some new recruiting doors.

Here is his web page: www.travisdecuire.com/Home_Page.html

[shockmonster]

Any reason you think these guys are possible candidates, shizzle, or are you just looking for something to talk about? DeCuire in particular seems extremely unlikely.

Why are your reasons for DeCuire's hiring being extremely unlikely? He needs a job and there is a lot of competition for assistant jobs. Assistant coaches do not make a lot of money and probably don't have the savings to be as picky as head coaches who make quite a bit more. WSU would probably be an attractive assistant coaching gig for almost any assistant coaches who are unemployed. Last, Old Dominion is located in the South in Virginia where Marshall has a lot of contacts.

[1972Shocker]

Of these two DeCuire looks particularly interesting. OTOH, I am sure 3G's problem will not be finding high-quality candidates but will be whittling down his choices to a group of 3 or 4 finalists.

Tomorrow is the final day for signing National Letters of Intent for the 2014-15 school year, although I don't know how important that is to Coach Marshall. IIUC, failing to sign a player tomorrow does not preclude the Shocks from adding a player by the beginning of the fall semester. You just won't have a binding commitment from such player.

[shockrah]

Wouldn't happen, but...

Lew Hill
Assistant Coach
As long as we are on the Assistant Coach topic. Looks like Lew has a pretty permanent hitch on with Kruger.

Lew Hill is in just his third season as an assistant coach on the Oklahoma staff, but is a Big 12 Conference veteran.

Hill, who spent seven years as an assistant coach at UNLV under Lon Kruger and helped the Runnin' Rebels to a 161-71 (.694) record and to six postseason appearances (four NCAA Tournaments), was an assistant coach at Texas A&M for six seasons (1998-2004) under then-head coach Melvin Watkins. Hill served as the Aggies' associate head coach during his last season in College Station.

Prior to his tenure at Texas A&M, Hill spent four seasons as an assistant coach at East Carolina University (1994-98) and two years as an assistant at Southeast Missouri State University (1992-94).

Hill began his coaching career at Wichita (Kan.) East High School as an assistant in 1989-90, then moved into the collegiate ranks as a part-time assistant at the University of South Alabama (1990-92).

As a player, Hill was the starting point guard for San Jacinto (Texas) Junior College in 1983-84, helping the Ravens to the national championship and earning All-America honors. He went on to earn All-Missouri Valley Conference accolades in 1987-88 as a senior at Wichita State University under head coach Eddie Fogler and helped the Shockers to a 20-10 record and to the NCAA Tournament.

[WSUwatcher]

It's too late to do anything about this guy, obviously (apparently there's no age minimum for D-I players?),

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10964700/kansas-jayhawks-land-sviatoslav-mykhailiuk

but maybe Marshall should hire an assistant from Ukraine, or Croatia, or one of the Baltic countries that take basketball seriously? Yes, he already has international flavor on his staff with Dominic Okon, and yes, a Euro coach isn't likely to have the built-in network of US recruiting contacts that someone stateside will.

Still, why don't we see more European assistants, and not just in the DOBO role, especially at schools that don't spend $10 million+ on basketball and thus could be looking for a bargain who brings them disproportionate value? Surely there have to be some guys over there who bring enough to the table in terms of teaching, scouting, game planning, and offensive principles (e.g., ball movement and movement without the ball, in both of which foreign teams often seem far more accomplished than their US college counterparts) -- not to mention familiarity with the many Euro players in prep schools or even junior colleges here -- that those benefits would more than offset their lack of high school and AAU recruiting networks in the US. In other words, guys who can coach or teach at a high level and are looking to spend a few years absorbing American-style strength conditioning and approaches to defense that they can eventually take home and apply, while in the meantime maybe giving a school here an otherwise unavailable edge in recruiting talented Europeans?

It's hard to believe that such coaches don't exist. Is the problem just that they're off the radar of American head coaches as prospective assistants? Is their perceived recruiting disadvantage in terms of American contacts so great that it outweighs their potential advantage in recruiting Euros? Do US head coaches think they can develop pipelines to certain regions without having to spend a regular assistant's position to get the players? Or am I underestimating the number of European assistants who do have full-fledged (i.e, not DOBO or volunteer assistant-type) coaching roles in the US college ranks already?

[WuShock16]

Not a horrible idea, but I am not sure that would be the route to go. While there are ALWAYS exceptions, for the most part, I don't think guys who have been raised on Euro basketball match Gregg's coaching style. Stereotypically, when I think of those kind of players, I think of very skilled, finesse players. Example...Gal Mekel is obviously very talented, as he is in the NBA right now. Still, his style didn't really fit Gregg very well. Gregg wants guys who are bigger, stronger, and more athletic. Again, there are certainly exceptions, but overall, I don't see that as being a fit. Interesting idea though.

[wu_shizzle]

Mark Turgeon hired a guy from Australia as DOBO if I remember correctly. I don't think he was here long enough to develop anything.

The problem may be that European high school players don't see American colleges as necessary to play in the NBA. They get plenty of exposure playing for national teams and even their pro leagues. With the number of foreign players drafted every year, the system works for them.

African players might be a little different in that for many of them, just getting to the states is a victory.

[ShockTalk]

I have full faith HCGM, but this is driving me nuts. 8 weeks and nada.

His previous 5 hires all took less than 4 weeks, most 3 weeks, even when he needed to replace 2 coaches at the same time. Granted, some were probably not totally unexpected (hiring Forbes in 2 weeks to replace Turner would seem almost planned). However, Jans was not unexpected either as Marshall has been an advocate of him getting a head coaching gig.

Thank you for letting me vent.

[Dave Stalwart]

I have full faith HCGM, but this is driving me nuts. 8 weeks and nada.

His previous 5 hires all took less than 4 weeks, most 3 weeks, even when he needed to replace 2 coaches at the same time. Granted, some were probably not totally unexpected (hiring Forbes in 2 weeks to replace Turner would seem almost planned). However, Jans was not unexpected either as Marshall has been an advocate of him getting a head coaching gig.

Thank you for letting me vent.

I am actually taking it to mean he really isn't worried. He doesn't feel weakened and isn't panicking about getting a guy in quickly.

I guarantee he has a stack of qualified options really hoping for this job. I bet he is doing a very solid job of interviewing and narrowing.

[Kung Wu]

I have full faith HCGM, but this is driving me nuts. 8 weeks and nada.

His previous 5 hires all took less than 4 weeks, most 3 weeks, even when he needed to replace 2 coaches at the same time. Granted, some were probably not totally unexpected (hiring Forbes in 2 weeks to replace Turner would seem almost planned). However, Jans was not unexpected either as Marshall has been an advocate of him getting a head coaching gig.

Thank you for letting me vent.

Speaking of faith, this is kinda like lashing out at Jesus for not quickly replacing Judas' spot. Not me, man. I'm not telling Jesus what to do. No sir, not me.

[shockmonster]

I have full faith HCGM, but this is driving me nuts. 8 weeks and nada.

His previous 5 hires all took less than 4 weeks, most 3 weeks, even when he needed to replace 2 coaches at the same time. Granted, some were probably not totally unexpected (hiring Forbes in 2 weeks to replace Turner would seem almost planned). However, Jans was not unexpected either as Marshall has been an advocate of him getting a head coaching gig.

Thank you for letting me vent.

He said a week ago or so that he had narrowed it down to 2 or 3 and decision would be made no later than beginning of summer school.

[pinstripers]

He said a week ago or so that he had narrowed it down to 2 or 3 and decision would be made no later than beginning of summer school.

which is when?

[WstateU]

'Speaking of Faith'; Tim, you lucky bastard!

[1972Shocker]

which is when?

Pre-Session: May 19th - May 31st

8-Week Term: June 2nd - July 25th

2nd 4-Week Classes: June 30th - July 25th

[WSUwatcher]

ShockTalk, do you think this is driving Marshall nuts? He isn't acting that way.

If he isn't worried, and you have faith in him, you shouldn't be either.