We’ve got the right guy

[Jay Bee]

Is the 8,000 mile Ocean Train almost ready to go??

[tower912]

Already exists.   But the government doesn't want you to know about it because aliens helped build it.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Oh wow. Maybe I am him. No wonder I trust him.

Although I still prefer "I am Drunk Shaka"

[tower912]

Should have kept the second typo.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Should have kept the second typo.

I was cancelled via a text.

[rgoode57]

Anyone who thinks Shaka would leave MU for the job at Duke, Kentucky, UCLA, etc must believe that he learned nothing from his Texas experience. The pressure of coaching basketball at Texas is nothing compared to those places.  I doubt he is inclined to get into another situation like that. Shaka and MU were made for each other.

[Coleman]

It would be nice if this is his forever home.

Nothing is guaranteed. But I think this is our best shot of a multiple-decade coach since Al.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I fear losing Shaka to early retirement more than anything else. I also think losing him to the NBA is more likely than losing him to a college blue blood

[Goose]

One of the many reasons why I loved the Shaka hire was the NCAA failure at Texas. I 100% believe that is just another motivation factor that will end up playing very well for MU basketball. Last season, I thought Shaka took his intensity up a big amount as the season moved along and that was partly based off his desire to get some wins in March. IMO, that was another learning lesson for a coach that always seems to be making himself a better person and coach.

I fully expect a better March run this season and years to come. That said, I tend to agree with TAMU that Shaka could be a guy to retire earlier than most guys. I am going to sit back and enjoy the ride as long as it lasts.

[pbiflyer]

One of the many reasons why I loved the Shaka hire was the NCAA failure at Texas. I 100% believe that is just another motivation factor that will end up playing very well for MU basketball. Last season, I thought Shaka took his intensity up a big amount as the season moved along and that was partly based off his desire to get some wins in March. IMO, that was another learning lesson for a coach that always seems to be making himself a better person and coach.

I fully expect a better March run this season and years to come. That said, I tend to agree with TAMU that Shaka could be a guy to retire earlier than most guys. I am going to sit back and enjoy the ride as long as it lasts.

This and this, especially that last part.

[MUfan12]

Last season, I thought Shaka took his intensity up a big amount as the season moved along and that was partly based off his desire to get some wins in March.

He can be really buttoned up, careful about what he says. Was very much that way his first year.

As last year moved on, the facade started to come down, and some real defiance started to come out. Can't win without the portal? Ninth in the league? UConn owns the Garden? F*ck all that noise.

The celebration after beating Creighton in their gym was incredible, as was the UConn game in the BET. Lost in the fight.

His press conference before the Italy trip just oozed confidence. He's secure where he is, he can build how he wants to, and he knows he's got a damn good team.

[Scoop Snoop]

Anyone who thinks Shaka would leave MU for the job at Duke, Kentucky, UCLA, etc must believe that he learned nothing from his Texas experience. The pressure of coaching basketball at Texas is nothing compared to those places.  I doubt he is inclined to get into another situation like that. Shaka and MU were made for each other.

Yep. Duke, Kentucky and Kansas- can you imagine 5 star, one-and-doners being allowed to show off for pro scouts at the possible expense of the team in Shaka's system and culture? I cannot.

Like Goose said...enjoy the ride as long as it lasts. I think the Marquette/Shaka marriage will last a long time.

[Coleman]

I fear losing Shaka to early retirement more than anything else. I also think losing him to the NBA is more likely than losing him to a college blue blood

Agree on both counts. It would not surprise me one bit to see him jump to the NBA.

I just hope we get him for at least 10 years.

[BrewCity83]

I think Shaka's wheelhouse is the college game.  His whole family/togetherness/team-first themes play way better with the 18-22 college crowd.  He gets to hand pick his guys out of high school for their personalities.  He'd be fighting an uphill battle with many of the "me-first/show me the money" types that would get put on his NBA rosters.  I don't see him voluntarily going for that.

[MU82]

I think Shaka's wheelhouse is the college game.  His whole family/togetherness/team-first themes play way better with the 18-22 college crowd.  He gets to hand pick his guys out of high school for their personalities.  He'd be fighting an uphill battle with many of the "me-first/show me the money" types that would get put on his NBA rosters.  I don't see him voluntarily going for that.

Agree totally. But then again, I didn't see the likes of Lon Kruger, Brad Stevens and Kevin O'Neill going to the NBA, either.

[wadesworld]

Is there crossover between the people who think Shaka learned from his time at Texas and doesn't want to deal with one and done types and those that think he could leave for the NBA?

I love him, but I'm not sure how an NBA guy would react to this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UUz_4EFuKY

Or to his mottos (Relationships, Growth, Victory, Lost in the fight, etc.).

[The Lens]

UCLA / Duke / Kansas / UK are all basketball first schools.  That's why they're unique.  You could argue they are MU on steroids.

I think it's remote but if I were them I would call him before almost anyone.   

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

When I mentioned the NBA, I wasn't suggesting that Shaka would be a good fit or even that I think he is interested in the NBA. My thought process is that Shaka has learned that the grass is not always greener art the bigger college program and besides,  the grass at Marquette is pretty damn green.

I think coaching in the NBA would be a bigger temptation. The grass may not be greener but that's still a chance to coach at the highest level of the sport. That's a different kind of temptation and Id imagine that would be hard to turn down.

But I stand by what I said earlier, I think the biggest "threat" fir Shakas eventual departure is early retirement

[Scoop Snoop]

UCLA / Duke / Kansas / UK are all basketball first schools.  That's why they're unique.  You could argue they are MU on steroids.

I think it's remote but if I were them I would call him before almost anyone.   

This is all true, but these schools already have a defined MO-recruit as many 5-star players as you can and do not worry about them leaving after one year because you can simply reload. Not Shaka's style of coaching and running the program at VCU or Marquette.

[Dickthedribbler]

UCLA / Duke / Kansas / UK are all basketball first schools.  That's why they're unique.  You could argue they are MU on steroids.

I think it's remote but if I were them I would call him before almost anyone.   

You could be right. But when K retired at Duke, they could have offered the job to anyone in the country and they stayed in-house with Sheyer. And they've got a loooong line of future candidates in the pipeline. UNC stayed in house after Smith-----Guthridge, Doherty, Williams, Davis. At Kansas, Self is only 61 and unless he croaks on the job he's probably at KU for at least another decade. Mick Cronin at UCLA is fairly young. Kentucky, I don't know. Shaka doesn't strike me as a Kentucky kind of guy. The pressure there is incredibly ridiculous.

But I'm sure the more success he has, the threat will be there.

[Herman Cain]

My guess is Shaka is here as long as his off the court side of life does well and his Family continues to thrive in the current setting. MU is committed to doing everything possible on the on the court side of his life 

His wife just published a book in her field of interest, his Mom is nearby, He is tearing down his home and rebuilding, hopefully his daughter is doing well in school and has lots of friends. I think those are the things that matter.

Here is a video from last year when Mrs. Smart released her new book. 

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/author-maya-payne-smart-on-literacy-guide-for-parents/

[dgies9156]

"Nothing good happens after midnight"

1975 Marquette vs. USSR tipped at 12:01 am. Killed them.

[The Lens]

I think TAMU's early retirement is the leader in the clubhouse.  I'm merely pointing out that the only considerations for leaving would be POBO or Duke / UCLA / Kansas / UK.

Stop and think about that.  It's pretty incredible.  65 power schools and only 4 "might" have a chance.  And the NBA would need to offer him complete control. 

Rarified air.

[Coleman]

Is there crossover between the people who think Shaka learned from his time at Texas and doesn't want to deal with one and done types and those that think he could leave for the NBA?

I love him, but I'm not sure how an NBA guy would react to this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UUz_4EFuKY

Or to his mottos (Relationships, Growth, Victory, Lost in the fight, etc.).

Shaka would do fine in the in NBA. He would adjust his message and coaching to the audience. He would obviously do things differently than he did at VCU. Doesn't mean he wasn't sincere in college, it just means he would tailor it to the audience.

He's a smart guy and a great coach. He'd do great anywhere.

[brewcity77]

He's a smart guy and a great coach. He'd do great anywhere.

While I think the former is true, Texas fans would obviously disagree. I do think coaching is largely a matter of position and fit. VCU was a great fit for Shaka, so is Marquette. Texas wasn't, and I'm not sure a blue blood would be either. Had he landed at a Georgetown I think it would've went great, or honestly just about anywhere in the Big East.

As far as football schools, I think there are some where he would fit in. Kansas State or Oklahoma State might be good fits, where they care about basketball but don't have the microscope of a Texas/Kansas type job. I could also see him at Mizzou or Virginia, both proud basketball programs but a step away from blue bloods. In terms of perceived marquee type jobs, the only two that I could really see are Louisville or Indiana. Louisville has amazing history but lives enough in Kentucky's shadow that I don't think it's quite as crazy as Lexington while Indiana is so talent-rich with guys you can develop that I think Shaka could really thrive in that environment, interestingly enough in ways Crean never could.

But my hope is he's happy here and keeps building us into a cultural powerhouse. I think this is a unique period where programs that are able to have continuity are going to thrive as everyone else chases shiny objects. We've already seen how Villanova, UNC, UVA, and others have won by getting established guys into the system, and the more movement there is, the more valuable continuity will be. Like Villanova, this is a program that could be brought to borderline blue blood status by the right coach. Al did it in the 1970s and while we're decades removed from that, the passion and dedication is still here that it could happen again.