You have the #1 and #3 players in the NBA Draft on your team, how would YOU do?

[Pete]

There are a LOT of people out there saying that Bill Self might have had one of the worst coaching efforts in the history of college basketball last season.  Do you agree?

How would YOU have done if you were coaching the eventual #1 and #3 picks in the NBA draft, and two other McDonald's All - Americans?  It's not as easy as it looks. 

I probably would have lost just as many of those non-con games, but I bet we would have lost more than 5 conference games if I was coaching them.  oscar Weber would have probably got me in Lawrence, and there is no way I beat the Mayor in Ames.  However, I do think I could have led them past Iowa State in a virtual home game in the Big 12 Tournament.   

Then, we lose Embiid.   We beat Eastern Kentucky (duh) without Joel, and probably do beat a very average 10-seed Stanford team because we have two other McDonald's All-Americans that I easily cajole into stepping up when Joel goes down.   Obviously would have crushed 11-seeded Dayton with our 3 healthy McDonald's All-Americans at three different position (how could we not???).  BUT, Florida would have pounded us again....Billy would have had my number, for sure.

See, it's not easy.

[CNS]

The right answer is to let your lottery pick get healthy while playing conf ball so that you could run through the NCAA without breaking a sweat. 

I mean, I am not a coach, jmo.

[Cartierfor3]

I dunno Pete. I like to think I would've been a more tender coach than that monster and Embiid never would've been injured. You think I would let him rest at the end of practice when his back is hurting? Duh. I'm not a monster. So if I'M coach all my team is healthy all year and we probably make to Florida game and get schemed by Donovan but hey its a good run and I never even played basketball so for someone with zero experience I'll be damn proud of my elite 8.

[Pete]

I dunno Pete. I like to think I would've been a more tender coach than that monster and Embiid never would've been injured. You think I would let him rest at the end of practice when his back is hurting? Duh. I'm not a monster. So if I'M coach all my team is healthy all year and we probably make to Florida game and get schemed by Donovan but hey its a good run and I never even played basketball so for someone with zero experience I'll be damn proud of my elite 8.

Hmmmm, I bet you would have lost more conference games that way.

I don't think you understand the KU fan base either, and would have gotten fired BEFORE the NCAA tournament.

KU fans care WAY more about conference wins/titles than how they do in the NCAA tournament.  I don't think most of them even care about the NCAA tournament at all.

[Cartierfor3]

Yeah they're a weird fan base for sure. I bet if I raised few bucks to add a 2nd solarium to the original rules museum I could make it to march and avoid the firing squad. 

[CNS]

Guys, it's pretty easy to sit back and monday morning QB what should have been done different with what is probably the absolute best basketball team ever put together outside the states of North Carolina and California, but I just don't know if it is fair to do so.  I mean, that has to be a pretty stressful job.  It's probably hard to pull your head out of the detail and see the bigger picture sometimes.  Like, who would have thought to not continue playing your lottery pick that has a broken back against crap conference teams so that you could basically guarantee a national championship with him healthy during the NCAA's?  I don't think I could have.  Kids are quick healers at that age.  I certainly thought he may heal during a Sat to Wed downtime rest. 

Bill's job is basically a $5M crap shoot.  What can you do?

[steve dave]

win the NBA championship is how I would do Pete

[Pete]

win the NBA championship is how I would do Pete

Sure, I mean in a 7 game series the cream to the top and all that.

[420seriouscat69]

Honestly Pete, I'm pretty sure I could just roll the ball out there with the #1 overall pick (AKA LEBRON 2.0) and #3 pick (AKA DIKEMBE CLONE), close my eyes, Take a nap, wake up, and find myself in Dallas at the Final 4 with that much ammuinition.

[CNS]

Do you think this is why Bill wasn't offered any NBA coaching jobs this year?  I mean, how could a GM expect him to do more with less in a much better league against much better athletes? 

Last season probably just ruined Bill for the NBA for good. 

[Pete]

Do you think this is why Bill wasn't offered any NBA coaching jobs this year?  I mean, how could a GM expect him to do more with less in a much better league against much better athletes? 

Last season probably just ruined Bill for the NBA for good. 

Yes.  But I don't agree with them.

[The Tonya Harding of Twitter Users Creep]

I would redshirt Tharpe and play Frankamp. We'd cruise to the Final Four.

[Fldermaus]

Do you think this is why Bill wasn't offered any NBA coaching jobs this year?  I mean, how could a GM expect him to do more with less in a much better league against much better athletes? 

Last season probably just ruined Bill for the NBA for good. 

He seems to be the ideal fit for the sixers approach.

[bubbles4ksu]

i hardly know a thing about bball so i probably wouldn't do very well but i do know that jack calipari at kentucky absolutely dominated when he had similar nba talent.

[Pete]

i hardly know a thing about bball so i probably wouldn't do very well but i do know that jack calipari at kentucky absolutely dominated when he had similar nba talent.

Ya, the Kentucky coach would have been amazing with talent like this.

[ChiComCat]

Good question Pete and one that is begging to be asked.  Clearly KU had one of the most talent laden teams in NCAA history last year.  College basketball is very much a talent oriented game, so the question is at what point you are totally outclassed on the other sideline because that is the only way you lose with that team.  I agree with Donovan being the point of elimination if I screwed up and we only got a 2 seed, but I am pretty sure I could get a 1.  I lose when I run into Cal/Pitino/Donovan as they are they only coaches that can top the difference in talent.

[Pete]

Good question Pete and one that is begging to be asked.  Clearly KU had one of the most talent laden teams in NCAA history last year.  College basketball is very much a talent oriented game, so the question is at what point you are totally outclassed on the other sideline because that is the only way you lose with that team.  I agree with Donovan being the point of elimination if I screwed up and we only got a 2 seed, but I am pretty sure I could get a 1.  I lose when I run into Cal/Pitino/Donovan as they are they only coaches that can top the difference in talent.

Good points.

[pissclams]

basketball is a sport of athleticism as well as intelligence.  obviously stanford possessed both of these attributes. 

[Pete]

basketball is a sport of athleticism as well as intelligence.  obviously stanford possessed both of these attributes.

What about Dayton?

[CNS]

Do you think this is why Bill wasn't offered any NBA coaching jobs this year?  I mean, how could a GM expect him to do more with less in a much better league against much better athletes? 

Last season probably just ruined Bill for the NBA for good. 

He seems to be the ideal fit for the sixers approach.

Oh man! Embiid is going to be pissed. No escape. 

[Stevesie60]

LHC Bill Snyder wants Sean to take over.

Charlie wants Charlie Jr. to take over.

How far fetched is it to think Bill Self wants Tyler to take over, and Tyler was the one coaching this season? I think a 20 year old could take the #1 overall pick, the #3 overall pick, and another projected lottery pick to the round of 32. I mean, that Stanford game was basically a toss-up, so let's go ahead and call it the Sweet 16. It's almost too obvious what really happened.

[Pete]

LHC Bill Snyder wants Sean to take over.

Charlie wants Charlie Jr. to take over.

How far fetched is it to think Bill Self wants Tyler to take over, and Tyler was the one coaching this season? I think a 20 year old could take the #1 overall pick, the #3 overall pick, and another projected lottery pick to the round of 32. I mean, that Stanford game was basically a toss-up, so let's go ahead and call it the Sweet 16. It's almost too obvious what really happened.

Never thought of this before.  I think you are right.  oscar is batting .500 against little Self. 

[Cartierfor3]

Guys I guess you have to be a top 5 coach to win with the #1 and #3 NBA draft picks.

http://espn.go.com/ncb/notebook/_/page/top50coaches6/no-6-kansas-bill-self

[Pete]

Guys I guess you have to be a top 5 coach to win with the #1 and #3 NBA draft picks.

http://espn.go.com/ncb/notebook/_/page/top50coaches6/no-6-kansas-bill-self

THAT'S A CROCK OF crap!

[Cartierfor3]

Guys I guess you have to be a top 5 coach to win with the #1 and #3 NBA draft picks.

http://espn.go.com/ncb/notebook/_/page/top50coaches6/no-6-kansas-bill-self

THAT'S A CROCK OF crap!

I dunno Pete they rated him best in Kansas, above Weber and Marshall (barely)