A few weeks ago everyone was complaining that Underwhelm/achiever and staff weren’t sustaining any momentum, and we were on the cusp of being back to a bubble team or worse.
Now we are cussing Whitman because he didn’t pony up and pay the assistants more in the wake of one of the program’s most embarrassing tourney flameouts?
I actually would have been more than ok with having given those guys a raise after a historically good season (by Illinois standards) with a team they built. But it was a tough recruiting cycle and I think we all can admit things weren’t looking so hot a few weeks ago. So it may not have been received particularly well.
Huh?
The ONLY way this program (or any program) has any sustainability is with recruiting. The coach 'em up theory is limited and pretty much bullshit. Talent wins unless you totally step on your dick as a coach.
We have all said to pay Antigua and Chin what they need to stay.
The recruiting is OK for incoming 2021 class. We are presently 27th in the nation. 4th in BT.
Not bad, not great. It will tide us over, but we will need a strong 2022 and 2023 class with a top PG, and some inside help.
It is clear that these assistants have brought in some higher level talent in past three years (Ayo, Kofi, Curbelo, Miller).
The biggest get for 2021 is a proven scorer in Plummer. And Payne fills a need for better or worse.
Nobody would have complained for one second about paying them.
What people didn't like was the shit in game coaching in the NCAA loss. If that was Gentry's role- then good riddance.
But Hulka is ultimately in charge in a game.