OK why don't we consolidate and put all of our coaching ideas here and do JK's job for him. Name some coaches of interest, why they are worthy of being considered, what they do well (Xs and Os, analytics, recruiting, relationship with players, good with donors, etc.) and why they would be a good fit. Some names to start that we already know about, please comment and add to the list. Let's not f this up! I want a good basketball program again.

Amir Abdur-Rahim (Kennesaw State) -- the new hot name and maybe we get an endorsement from his bro
Shantay Legans (Portland) -- great year last year, team fizzled this year but had a good pre-season, young up and comer
Joe Pasternack (UCSB) -- won the Big West regular season 2 out of 3 years, the donors know him well, has a good Califrornia recruiting network, tireless
Dennis Gates (Mizzou) -- I don't think so, boat has sailed (thank you JK)
Ryan Odom (Utah State) -- I believe Calif Goldenblogs likes him a lot, they did some analytics and he has Utah State at 24-7 second in the Mountain West, and very efficient in scoring offense and defense I believe
Russell Turner (UCI) -- always has UCI in thick of the BW race and winning the BW tournament
Travis Decuire (Montana) -- should we consider him again? Not a great season, but still 4th place in the Big Sky and he has has won the Big Sky a couple times already. Sometimes one's coaching chops are made during rebuilding years.
Steve Nash -- should we reach out to him? Would he consider a return to the Bay Area and coaching? It sure would be a big name for recruiting purposes, similar to the effect Jason Kidd would have had.
Earl Watson -- another name that is intriguing. He is an assistant with the Raptors, ran a lot of clincs and camps in the past with high school kids. He seems to really be organized and on top of things. I love the way he teaches and leads. Could he be convinced to begin his college head coaching career with us?

We should not leave any stones unturned. Who are some other mid-major hot prospects and sleepers?

I saw that Vanover's Oral Roberts is a perfect 18-0 in conference. Who is that coach? How about the Yale coach? He seems to have them in the NCAAs every year now. He's figured out the academic and talent balance.

Speedy Claxton; Head Coach at Hofstra.

He's in his 2nd year as head coach; finished first in Colonial Athletic Conference; 24-8
They were 21-11 in his first year.

44 years old

Played two years for the Warriors before being traded to New Orleans. He was also a scout for the Warriors (2010-2013).

calumnus said:

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eastcoastcal said:

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KoreAmBear said:

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Put on our search list every coach on here that makes less than $500K (or a number way less than what we would offer, as to incentivize them):

Top 50 College Basketball Coaches Of The Year pic.twitter.com/bUO9tkXNA6

— Big Game Boomer (@BigGameBoomer) March 6, 2023

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Love the steve nash idea btw (i just think it would jump start recruiting)

but a cursory glance at this list for coaches who are "poachable" and seem to be successful: to be clear, a bunch of these guys are going to have interest from better programs than us

Dusty May
Pat Kelsey
Paul Mills
Tod Kowalczyk
Amir Abdul-Rahim
Ryan Odom
Leon Rice
Brian Wardle

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Richard Pitino makes $775K at New Mexico

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He's borderline retread status with me. I want to go with the fresh new guy on the scene trending up.

Bill Mellis, Salesian Richmond.

Mellis record OVER 600 WINS-170 overall record, 2x state champion.

recently Coached former players:
Jabari Bird
jabari brown

Cal alum: Graduated 1993
Student assistant under Lou Campanelli while at Cal.

"Mellis credits three mentors for influencing his coaching style: his high school coach, Pete Newell, Jr.; former Cal coach Lou Campanelli who he worked for as a student assistant; and former Salesian coach Bill Treseler, who gave him his first coaching job. "Coach Newell taught me a lot about the X's and O's, Coach Campanelli taught me how to interact with players and gain their respect, and Coach Treseler showed me how to run a successful high school program."

Currently coaching Leon Powe's son, playing tonight in the state open division semi finals.

BC Calfan said:

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Couple guys not mentioned yet on this thread:

Young with California Ties:
Stan Johnson 42 years old, engineering a turnaround at LMU
Dedrique Taylor CS Fullerton, 48 years old, taken team to NCAA 2x, won Big West Tourney 2x. Not sure if he can recruit.
Mike Magpayo 43, doing well at UC Riverside. Could be in line for a P5 gig soon.

Longshots:
Chris Mack Eastcoast brought him up. Fired from Louisville for mishandling an assistant coach's extortion attempts. (bizarre) Tons of success at Xavier. 9 Tourney appearances since 2010 including 1 Elite Eight and 3 Sweet 16s. Currently not coaching, 53 years old.
Jay Wright Just give his agent a call. Surprised that he's only 62.
Luke Walton currently an assistant for Cavaliers has spent years in Bay Area and Sac. Most likely a no but doesn't hurt to inquire.
Mark Turgeon 58 years old. Is he a retread? Maybe. But had good success at Maryland before he "mutually parted ways".

Probably Not Ready:
Theo
Justin Labagh Alum and very successful at CCSF.

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Re: Mike Magpayo

He was Director of Operations for Kyle Smith at USF.
Lead recruiter at Columbia

Knows the Bay Area: Currently has 3 local guys (Pleasant Hill, Orinda and Vallejo) on his roster.

Chris Mack is a mandatory interview, imho. I said this 4 months ago when I was trying to figure out why Louisville was seemingly worse than Cal (March Madness would be Cal v Louisville for $50 and a plastic trophy). Mack, when hired, was hotter than anyone, but I'm not sure what happened with all these accusations about "recruiting violations" and the assistant that was fired. He's not west coast, but he's a proven winner and to not interview him (since he's rebounding from a firing at a major and will be cheaper) would be a huge mistake. Just like not pursuing Kyle Smith or Dennis Gates or Tommy Lloyd...keep racking up those wins Knowlton.

sandiegobears said:

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Chris Mack is a mandatory interview, imho. I said this 4 months ago when I was trying to figure out why Louisville was seemingly worse than Cal (March Madness would be Cal v Louisville for $50 and a plastic trophy). Mack, when hired, was hotter than anyone, but I'm not sure what happened with all these accusations about "recruiting violations" and the assistant that was fired. He's not west coast, but he's a proven winner and to not interview him (since he's rebounding from a firing at a major and will be cheaper) would be a huge mistake. Just like not pursuing Kyle Smith or Dennis Gates or Tommy Lloyd...keep racking up those wins Knowlton.

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Agreed. As far as I can tell, he was fired for recording his assistant's attempts to extort him. While against university policy, I don't think it's indicative of a "character" issue or anything. IDK, personally I think it's minor and he's probably far and away a better candidate than anyone we could normally get

eastcoastcal said:

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sandiegobears said:

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Chris Mack is a mandatory interview, imho. I said this 4 months ago when I was trying to figure out why Louisville was seemingly worse than Cal (March Madness would be Cal v Louisville for $50 and a plastic trophy). Mack, when hired, was hotter than anyone, but I'm not sure what happened with all these accusations about "recruiting violations" and the assistant that was fired. He's not west coast, but he's a proven winner and to not interview him (since he's rebounding from a firing at a major and will be cheaper) would be a huge mistake. Just like not pursuing Kyle Smith or Dennis Gates or Tommy Lloyd...keep racking up those wins Knowlton.

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Agreed. As far as I can tell, he was fired for recording his assistant's attempts to extort him. While against university policy, I don't think it's indicative of a "character" issue or anything. IDK, personally I think it's minor and he's probably far and away a better candidate than anyone we could normally get

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Chris Mack would be a home run hire but I simply can not see JK (or Christ) being willing to bring in someone that high profile. It would take the spotlight off them. I hope they prove me wrong.

Can we just make the simple/no-brainer hire and go with Pasternack?

Sure, there are some outside-the-box candidates that would be nice hires (i.e. Dusty May, Amir Abdur-Raheem, Ryan Odom) but a) I don't trust Knowlton to make a successful "interesting" hire, and b) most of those coaches have minimal ties to the West Coast and/or would be top candidates for more attractive openings.

Pasternack ticks every single box of what we should be looking for in our next HC. No need to complicate this.

ManBearLion123 said:

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Can we just make the simple/no-brainer hire and go with Pasternack?

Sure, there are some outside-the-box candidates that would be nice hires (i.e. Dusty May, Amir Abdur-Raheem, Ryan Odom) but a) I don't trust Knowlton to make a successful "interesting" hire, and b) most of those coaches have minimal ties to the West Coast and/or would be top candidates for more attractive openings.

Pasternack ticks every single box of what we shoul be looking for in our next HC. No need to complicate this.

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Agreed 100% 1) Several large Donor's endorse him and will provide significant NIL monies 2) Solid west coast recruiting ties (Oakland Soldiers/Prolific Prep - plus Africa recruiting prowess connections 3) Proven fund raising record (raised $10M personally in his tenure of 5 seasons at UCSB) 4) Has backing of key agents (Bill Duffy, Calvin Andrews, Omar Wilkes) and support from several past Cal player alums (Sean Marx, Leon Power, Ryan Anderson, Richard Midgely, Theo Robertson to name a few) 5) Proven record of winning/turnaround program at UCSB) 6) Wants the job and sees this as his ultimate job - not a stepping stone. Yet a few people make a big deal at a "non event" of a reflex leg kick that was a nothing burger - Bottom line, Pasternak would restore the program to legitimately competing for conference titles. He is all about winning and expects nothing less from himself and his staff. As a bonus it is very likely that a key UCSB guard (all conf Big West) would follow Him where ever He ends up. Yet - JK may not want to feel He was forced into a decision that was not his own. Make no mistake about JK, He is a tough/obstinate AD, who will not be leveraged into a decision based solely on donation level. JK will make the decision He believes is best - and in concert with Jason Kidd/Sean Marx, Sharif Abdul Rahim support. Personally it is a must for the new coach/staff to control the Bay Area in recruiting - Cannot let top local prospects go elsewhere - Having tight and loyal developed relationships with the key programs locally, is a key strength of Pasternack. Finally JP knows the obstacles/hinderances of Cal - there are no surprises and He understands the landscape. Let's hope JK gets the hire correctly as its a defining moment for sure.

HoopDreams said:

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4thGenCal said:

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ManBearLion123 said:

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Can we just make the simple/no-brainer hire and go with Pasternack?

Sure, there are some outside-the-box candidates that would be nice hires (i.e. Dusty May, Amir Abdur-Raheem, Ryan Odom) but a) I don't trust Knowlton to make a successful "interesting" hire, and b) most of those coaches have minimal ties to the West Coast and/or would be top candidates for more attractive openings.

Pasternack ticks every single box of what we shoul be looking for in our next HC. No need to complicate this.

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Agreed 100% 1) Several large Donor's endorse him and will provide significant NIL monies 2) Solid west coast recruiting ties (Oakland Soldiers/Prolific Prep - plus Africa recruiting prowess connections 3) Proven fund raising record (raised $10M personally in his tenure of 5 seasons at UCSB) 4) Has backing of key agents (Bill Duffy, Calvin Andrews, Omar Wilkes) and support from several past Cal player alums (Sean Marx, Leon Power, Ryan Anderson, Richard Midgely, Theo Robertson to name a few) 5) Proven record of winning/turnaround program at UCSB) 6) Wants the job and sees this as his ultimate job - not a stepping stone. Yet a few people make a big deal at a "non event" of a reflex leg kick that was a nothing burger - Bottom line, Pasternak would restore the program to legitimately competing for conference titles. He is all about winning and expects nothing less from himself and his staff. As a bonus it is very likely that a key UCSB guard (all conf Big West) would follow Him where ever He ends up. Yet - JK may not want to feel He was forced into a decision that was not his own. Make no mistake about JK, He is a tough/obstinate AD, who will not be leveraged into a decision based solely on donation level. JK will make the decision He believes is best - and in concert with Jason Kidd/Sean Marx, Sharif Abdul Rahim support. Personally it is a must for the new coach/staff to control the Bay Area in recruiting - Cannot let top local prospects go elsewhere - Having tight and loyal developed relationships with the key programs locally, is a key strength of Pasternack. Finally JP knows the obstacles/hinderances of Cal - there are no surprises and He understands the landscape. Let's hope JK gets the hire correctly as its a defining moment for sure.

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I refer to him as The Kicker, and think there are other good coaches that should be considered, especially if they can differentiate us from the rest of the conference, has a strong brand that he can sell to recruits and their families, and is a strong leader and role model for men

that doesn't mean Pasternak is a bad or wrong choice. I've even suggested how he could clear the air with the Jorge incident. But regardless, I can't imagine that incident is going to make a significant factor with our decision making for our next coach

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Because of JP's immense connections to the donor community, and seeing as NIL is everything, I think the optimal combo is him as HC and several cal alums on staff. One of Fox's biggest weaknesses is the poor staff. Bring back a bunch of the players who have openly said they want to help out- Theo, Jerome, Lamond, etc. They will be able to sell Cal effectively, be great mentors to the players, and be more motivated to give it their all for their alma mater

If we can get the donors galvanized (Pasternack) and bring back some guys on the staff, it will be dynamite

eastcoastcal said:

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HoopDreams said:

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4thGenCal said:

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ManBearLion123 said:

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Can we just make the simple/no-brainer hire and go with Pasternack?

Sure, there are some outside-the-box candidates that would be nice hires (i.e. Dusty May, Amir Abdur-Raheem, Ryan Odom) but a) I don't trust Knowlton to make a successful "interesting" hire, and b) most of those coaches have minimal ties to the West Coast and/or would be top candidates for more attractive openings.

Pasternack ticks every single box of what we shoul be looking for in our next HC. No need to complicate this.

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Agreed 100% 1) Several large Donor's endorse him and will provide significant NIL monies 2) Solid west coast recruiting ties (Oakland Soldiers/Prolific Prep - plus Africa recruiting prowess connections 3) Proven fund raising record (raised $10M personally in his tenure of 5 seasons at UCSB) 4) Has backing of key agents (Bill Duffy, Calvin Andrews, Omar Wilkes) and support from several past Cal player alums (Sean Marx, Leon Power, Ryan Anderson, Richard Midgely, Theo Robertson to name a few) 5) Proven record of winning/turnaround program at UCSB) 6) Wants the job and sees this as his ultimate job - not a stepping stone. Yet a few people make a big deal at a "non event" of a reflex leg kick that was a nothing burger - Bottom line, Pasternak would restore the program to legitimately competing for conference titles. He is all about winning and expects nothing less from himself and his staff. As a bonus it is very likely that a key UCSB guard (all conf Big West) would follow Him where ever He ends up. Yet - JK may not want to feel He was forced into a decision that was not his own. Make no mistake about JK, He is a tough/obstinate AD, who will not be leveraged into a decision based solely on donation level. JK will make the decision He believes is best - and in concert with Jason Kidd/Sean Marx, Sharif Abdul Rahim support. Personally it is a must for the new coach/staff to control the Bay Area in recruiting - Cannot let top local prospects go elsewhere - Having tight and loyal developed relationships with the key programs locally, is a key strength of Pasternack. Finally JP knows the obstacles/hinderances of Cal - there are no surprises and He understands the landscape. Let's hope JK gets the hire correctly as its a defining moment for sure.

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I refer to him as The Kicker, and think there are other good coaches that should be considered, especially if they can differentiate us from the rest of the conference, has a strong brand that he can sell to recruits and their families, and is a strong leader and role model for men

that doesn't mean Pasternak is a bad or wrong choice. I've even suggested how he could clear the air with the Jorge incident. But regardless, I can't imagine that incident is going to make a significant factor with our decision making for our next coach

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Because of JP's immense connections to the donor community, and seeing as NIL is everything, I think the optimal combo is him as HC and several cal alums on staff. One of Fox's biggest weaknesses is the poor staff. Bring back a bunch of the players who have openly said they want to help out- Theo, Jerome, Lamond, etc. They will be able to sell Cal effectively, be great mentors to the players, and be more motivated to give it their all for their alma mater

If we can get the donors galvanized (Pasternack) and bring back some guys on the staff, it will be dynamite

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I think Pasternak is likely the HC that can get Cal back to competitive the quickest. We can argue about Dennis Gates being the better choice, but right now Gates is in a good situation and too costly to consider. I like Amir Abdur-Rahim as well and believe he is a builder that could be good for Cal. And with Shareef as his brother also helps.

My concern in the HC search is the AD. Knowlton is pathetic and I do not want him anywhere near this decision, but he is the AD and will be. Another wildcard is the TV deal. I believe the P12 survives in some form, but the recent noise around the 4 corner schools possibly leaving for the Big 12 and UW and UO still being rumored to the B1G has to be concerning on some level.

I think some former Cal players on staff sounds good, but the reality is you need good coaches and recruiters. If there are former Cal players qualified and willing to grind then great. My sense is they may be better served by having them as ambassadors to the program rather than day to day assistants. Theo may be the exception. Jerome and Lamond are embarrased for how the program has fallen but not sure either would be willing to grind the way top assistants need to.

My gut tells me that at this point and with Knowlton's reputation, we will not get someone like Pasternak. We probably need to focus more on younger, less proven (more desperate?).

Maybe with his Donor connection, we can mitigate that, but I would assume his agent is steering him to better pastures, when the season ends.

One other thing I've heard is that some of the college coaches who can retire are not so excited about the changes in NCAA hoops (NIL, recruiting, etc) and may decide its time to hang it up. If so, that will mean even more demand for coaches like Pasternak.