Basketball from a fans perspective

Can Dennis Gates coach a winner?

Perhaps some reading this are unfamiliar with the name Dennis Gates. He is the new Mizzou basketball coach having replaced Cuonzo Martin. Once hired the coach has begun the task of recruiting “his” team, the cupboard isn’t exactly bare there are 6 remaining roster members recruited by Martin. This matter is fluid as this is written we are unsure if they remain however, they will join Gates recruits. The latest, on Tuesday 6-foot 6-inch 230-pound Noah Carter from Northern Iowa made his commitment known.

Carter would choose Mizzou over several schools attempting to entice him to sign with their program. The question ask in the headline, can Gates coach a winner? We have no idea; we must wait for the conclusion of the season to pass judgement on this hire. Even then might be too soon to make a decision on Gates success or lack of accomplishment. This we know the coach can certainly recruit, since the arrival of Gates he’s managed to convince 4-star prospect Aiden Shaw to remain committed to Mizzou. Carter becomes the third commit or 4^th if we include the Cuonzo Martin recruit in the mix.   

Change the culture

Mizzou, Kansas State and other programs across the nation have changed coaches. Some coaches were fired, another number resigned and in the instance of Coach K. it was retirement. As for those basketball programs not succeeding on the court how do they become winners? It’s my contention all could become frontrunners given the right set of circumstances, allow an explanation. We could use Arkansas as an example, before you Razorback fans become upset understand this. The school has a rich program dating back to Eddie Sutton 1974-1985 however the Razorbacks have been re-invented in this new age. How you say…by hiring Eric Musselman as head coach.

Recruiting has accelerated under Musselman, that’s the first piece of the puzzle a good coaching hire. After a significant NCAA run fans are excited with the announcement of Anthony Black the third 5-star prospect signed for the fall. Second to that recruiting is necessary, a school must be able to attract top prospects. Talent has always existed however a larger number of schools are now competing for talent, so the once large pool of talent has shrunk once we exclude the Blue Blood programs. Transfer portal, players have been transferring since the beginning of time. At one point they were forced to sit out a semester, that policy exists no more. New Mizzou coach Dennis Grant we discover has “eyes” on 7-8 potential transfers, will Grant be able to secure all for his program? Probably not however this simply points out another key for a successful basketball program in the 21^st Century. The one area we read that I am unable to elaborate is Name, Image and Likeness or NIL. It is claimed this has been another area of concern in acquiring basketball talent for your school.

Finally, the last part, a speedy start by the coach. A newly hired coach no longer has 5-6 years to revitalize a program. He might find him in the unemployment line at the end of year three if he’s not at least on the road to success. The days of leaving a losing Coach K. in place no longer exists, he was 38-47 his first three seasons at Duke. The Blood Blue programs will continue to dominate recruiting and likely wins but that fails to take into consideration one notch below can become consistent winners too. They could become the next Baylor and win a national championship under the right set of circumstances.

New barber… different opinions

There is a place for Big Man basketball in today’s game, that’s the opinion of my new barber. Oh, I forgot to inform you I’ve changed barbers and this one follows the college and NBA game as much as my former barber. This is the wisdom he dropped on me, “The problem there are too few point guards in the NBA. The guys today want to bring the ball up court and take the shot rather than passing it to the guy playing down low. Chris Paul might be the last true point guard remaining in the game, he looks to pass the ball first. That was (Rajon) Rondo, always looking to pass rather than shoot.” Even the great Steph Curry failed to escape his eye.

“Curry is a talent but is he really a point guard, he comes down the court first looking to shoot rather than pass the ball. The other issue, if the guards of today would seek to pass the ball to the center in an advantageous position…oh well you get the point?” My barber did all the talking but I did add this part, “Guys haven’t stopped growing there are still plenty of 7-footers playing the game.” The 7-foot centers are out there, they are named Zach Edey at Purdue, Kofi Cockburn Illinois, Chet Holmgren Gonzaga and Walker Kessler at Auburn. Okay, technically Holmgren is a power forward, but he does stand 7 feet. There are others not mentioned but hopefully you get the implication, the talent is there all that is required is for it to be tailored to fit the subject. So, there you have it from my barber to you even if you are a proponent of small ball, he believes the flow of the game can be adjusted.

Who do we fear most?

Dennis Gates has an immense job on his hands, that is revitalizing Mizzou basketball. Thanks to Eric Musselman at Arkansas, it won’t be easy. Your thought might be Kentucky, LSU or Tennessee in the SEC. For me it’s the juggernaut under construction in Fayetteville by Musselman and staff. Just check out how deep the Razorbacks went in the 2022 tournament. Arkansas managed to defeat number one seed Gonzaga 74-68.

Arkansas losses at least two players to the transfer portal, as for the NBA Draft, I’m unsure. Despite the subtractions check out the additions, they receive 6 foot 9 Trevon Brazile talented former Mizzou standout. Brazile was one of the few bright spots as a freshman for Mizzou this past season. Arriving in the fall are 6 standout high school prospects, two of them awarded 5-stars and three projected as 4-star by Rivals. All the Rivals stars in the world are meaningless unless one is able to play the game at a high skill level. In closing it should be of note the way too early Top 10 polls have placed Arkansas in the top slot.