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<generator>Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/</generator><item><title>Did Mike Krzyzewski Create USA Basketball in Duke's Image?</title><link>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/06/28/did-mike-krzyzewski-create-usa-basketball-in-dukes-image/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/06/28/did-mike-krzyzewski-create-usa-basketball-in-dukes-image/</guid><comments>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/06/28/did-mike-krzyzewski-create-usa-basketball-in-dukes-image/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/duke-basketball/" rel="tag">Duke Basketball</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/acc-basketball/" rel="tag">ACC Basketball</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/ncaa-basketball-coaches/" rel="tag">NCAA Basketball Coaches</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/carolina/" rel="tag">Carolina</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/usa-basketball/" rel="tag">USA Basketball</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/americas/" rel="tag">Americas</a></p><img  hspace="4" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.fanhouse.com/media/2008/06/coachk-kevin-c.-cox.jpg" align="right" vspace="4" border="1" alt="" />One of the biggest complaints about the announcement of USA Basketball's 12-man roster is the lack of big men. We are sending just one true center (<a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/DwightHoward/">Dwight Howard</a>) along with two true power forwards (<a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/ChrisBosh/">Chris Bosh</a> and <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/CarlosBoozer/">Carlos Boozer</a>).<br /><br />There are quite a bit of guys that excel at slashing to the basket (<a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/KobeBryant/">Kobe Bryant</a>, <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/DwyaneWade/">Dwyane Wade</a>, <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/LeBronJames/">LeBron James</a>, <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/ChrisPaul/">Chris Paul,</a> <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/DeronWilliams/">Deron Williams</a>, <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/CarmeloAnthony/">Carmelo Anthony</a>) ... who also need the ball in their hands a lot.  We also will send a gutty, defensive point guard in <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/JasonKidd/">Jason Kidd</a>.<br /><br />Hmmm. This sounds an awful like how <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/MikeKrzyzewski/">Mike Krzyzewski</a> ... coach of Team USA ... constructs his usual team: the Duke Blue Devils.<br /><br />Anyone who has followed Duke knows that they team has really had issues with depth and talent in the frontcourt in recent years ... while running a bunch of same-sized players on the perimeter.  It works alright for a while, but them crumbles as the season wears on. <br /><br />It could happen in Beijing as the group that Team USA will be in is rather weak, but they will see the big dogs in single-elimination play.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Sure, the talent level on this USA team is unreal and wearing down won't be an issue. The fact that Kobe, LeBron, Melo and Wade on the same team is unfair. Still, we've all come to find out that the most talent doesn't equal gold ... especially when the single elimination portion of the Olympics comes. The rest of the world have out-coached us by playing zones against our weak shooting teams (we bring just one true shooter this time around -- <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/MichaelRedd/">Michael Redd</a>).<br /><br />Now, <em>that </em>doesn't sound like Duke. The Blue Devils have become a firing squad from the three point line, running a spread offense of high screens and finding open shooters.  If the rest of the world plays zone on us again, that may be what the red-white-and-blue do. <br /><br />Oh, and they've had to use small forwards at the power forward spot. That's why the plan seems to be in Beijing -- using Carmelo Anthony as the big forward. That's great and all, but leaves the United States at a disadvantage there rebounding. Anthony is more likely to hang around the perimeter, leaving Howard, Bosh and Boozer to take care of the boards.<br /><br />Ask the Devils' Kyle Singler about that.<br /><br />Of course, it will all come down to Coach K.  It seems ... at least in recent years ... that Olympic coaches want to enforce our speed and athleticism down the throats of our opponents.  America then looks like an All-Star game where the guards and wings control the ball and the offense and no really intricate set plays are run.  <br /><br />Also, Coach K has never coached in the NBA and since pro basketball players have been able to compete in the Olympics, all we've had is NBA coaches heading up the team.  The Olympics seems to be more like the college game (more physical, yet tighter calls, five fouls, more ball movement, less "star" treatment) which should serve Krzyzewski well.<br /><br />I think Coach K will really excel in this setting ... and with the star power he has on this team (unlike recent teams) he will be willing to make adjustments that should turn an All-Star team into Olympic gold medalists.  Sure, Duke has been in some tough times of late, but Krzyzewski has shown an ability to turn his most talented teams into champions.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/06/28/did-mike-krzyzewski-create-usa-basketball-in-dukes-image/">Did Mike Krzyzewski Create USA Basketball in Duke's Image?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com">NBA FanHouse</a> on Sat, 28 Jun 2008 11:13:00 EST .  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><p style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;">&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/06/28/did-mike-krzyzewski-create-usa-basketball-in-dukes-image/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/forward/1238085/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&amp;fc=1&amp;url=http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/06/28/did-mike-krzyzewski-create-usa-basketball-in-dukes-image/" title="Linking Blogs">Linking&nbsp;Blogs</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/06/28/did-mike-krzyzewski-create-usa-basketball-in-dukes-image/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a></p>]]></description><category>Carlos Boozer</category><category>CarlosBoozer</category><category>Carmelo Anthony</category><category>CarmeloAnthony</category><category>Chris Bosh</category><category>Chris Paul</category><category>ChrisBosh</category><category>ChrisPaul</category><category>Deron Williams</category><category>DeronWilliams</category><category>Dwight Howard</category><category>DwightHoward</category><category>Dwyane Wade</category><category>DwyaneWade</category><category>Jason Kidd</category><category>JasonKidd</category><category>Kobe Bryant</category><category>KobeBryant</category><category>lebron james</category><category>LebronJames</category><category>Michael Redd</category><category>MichaelRedd</category><category>Mike Krzyzewski</category><category>MikeKrzyzewski</category><dc:creator>Sportz Assassin</dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 28 Jun 2008 11:13:00 EST </pubDate></item><item><title>Rick Pitino the Latest Name Floated for the Mavs Coaching Job</title><link>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/05/02/rick-pitino-the-latest-name-floated-for-the-mavs/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/05/02/rick-pitino-the-latest-name-floated-for-the-mavs/</guid><comments>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/05/02/rick-pitino-the-latest-name-floated-for-the-mavs/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/mavericks/" rel="tag">Mavericks</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/louisville-basketball/" rel="tag">Louisville Basketball</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/big-east-basketball/" rel="tag">Big East Basketball</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/ncaa-basketball-coaches/" rel="tag">NCAA Basketball Coaches</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/nba-western/" rel="tag">Western</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/nba-gossip/" rel="tag">NBA Gossip</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="right"  src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.fanhouse.com/media/2008/05/rpitino4.jpg" alt="" />I guess with Mark Cuban anything is possible. It seems everyone is throwing about rumors that the Mavs might consider bringing in a college coach. There was the almost <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2008/05/01/random-rumor-bobby-knight-to-the-mavs/">laughable Bob Knight rumor</a>. Nearly as silly, is the idea that he <a href="http://www.nypost.com/seven/05022008/sports/derrick_needs_new_heart_109042.htm?page=0">might consider in Rick Pitino</a>.<br /> <blockquote>
<p> Should <strong>Mike D'Antoni </strong>and the Suns soon part company, his name will be added to Cuban's short list that ultimately may include Pitino. I've been told he'd consider leaving Louisville for a third NBA chance, but the team would have to be in relatively good roster shape. <br /> <br />I don't know; the thought of coaching <strong>Erick Damper</strong> (11M/$12M/$13M) for the next three seasons might be a turn-off. It's not as if he can be traded. I doubt Cuban could package Dampier with Microsoft and get a good deal. <br /></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Where to start in breaking this apart. First, this is from Peter Vecsey. Two, it's not a rumor that the Mavs want Pitino, it's that Pitino might want the job. Does that even amount to a rumor? Of course, Greg <a href="http://cbs.sportsline.com/mcc/blogs/entry/5881996/8101090">Doyel at Sportsline</a> is also saying that Pitino might be interested.</p>
<p>That still only makes it one way interest. I don't see Cuban and Donnie Nelson going to Pitino. Especially since they won't have any interest in letting Pitino have much say in the roster.</p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/05/02/rick-pitino-the-latest-name-floated-for-the-mavs/">Rick Pitino the Latest Name Floated for the Mavs Coaching Job</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com">NBA FanHouse</a> on Fri, 02 May 2008 11:16:00 EST .  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><p style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;">&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/05/02/rick-pitino-the-latest-name-floated-for-the-mavs/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/forward/1184877/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&amp;fc=1&amp;url=http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/05/02/rick-pitino-the-latest-name-floated-for-the-mavs/" title="Linking Blogs">Linking&nbsp;Blogs</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/05/02/rick-pitino-the-latest-name-floated-for-the-mavs/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a></p>]]></description><dc:creator>Charles Rich</dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 02 May 2008 11:16:00 EST </pubDate></item><item><title>Bulls Considering Tom Izzo? Paxson's Quiet</title><link>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/04/23/bulls-considering-tom-izzo-paxsons-quiet/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/04/23/bulls-considering-tom-izzo-paxsons-quiet/</guid><comments>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/04/23/bulls-considering-tom-izzo-paxsons-quiet/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/bulls/" rel="tag">Bulls</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/michigan-state-basketball/" rel="tag">Michigan State Basketball</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/big-ten-basketball/" rel="tag">Big Ten Basketball</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/ncaa-basketball-coaches/" rel="tag">NCAA Basketball Coaches</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/nba-rumors/" rel="tag">NBA Rumors</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/chicago/" rel="tag">Chicago</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="right"  src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.fanhouse.com/media/2008/04/tomizzo-tz-180.jpg" alt="" />The whole <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/KobeBryant/">Kobe</a> maelstrom seems to have had a lasting effect on Chicago GM <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/JohnPaxson/">John Paxson</a>: this coaching search he's working through has been relatively hushed. Just last night, <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AiMY8Kvg.IG_xHMQrHQ0Cdm8vLYF?slug=ys-bullscoach042208&amp;prov=yhoo&amp;type=lgns">through Yahoo!'s</a> Adrian Wojnarowski and Dan Wetzel, we learn <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/RickCarlisle/">Rick Carlisle</a> has already interviewed for the gig. But the bigger news is the rumor Pax's considering Michigan State coach <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/TomIzzo/">Tom Izzo</a>.<br /><br />And Izzo doesn't refuse the proposal outright. In fact, it sounds like he really would like to give the league a shot.<br /><blockquote>"I go back and forth on (coaching in the NBA)," he continued. "I still think it's the ultimate level. There is something about it. I look at it and say, 'It's a real challenge.' But I love what I do too. I go down and look at what the Pistons (coaches) do in preparation and I think, 'That's insane.'<br /><br />"But I look at what I do in terms of recruiting and I think, 'That's insane.'"<br /></blockquote>Basically, being a basketball coach at any of the top levels is insane. Could Izzo succeed in the pros? The old canard about college coaches failing in the NBA is overblown and too general. <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/ReggieTheus/">Reggie Theus</a> seemed to do <a href="http://www.sactownroyalty.com/2008/4/21/446703/one-year-ago">alright</a> this year. Hiring <em>any</em> first-time pro coach is a crap shoot, whether it's a longtime assistant-in-waiting (<a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/MikeBrown/">Mike Brown</a> or <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/LarryKrystowiak/">Larry Krystowiak</a>), a recent ex-player (<a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/AveryJohnson/">Avery Johnson</a>, <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/NateMcMillan/">Nate McMillan</a>), or a college guy (Theus, <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/TimFloyd/">Tim Floyd</a>).<br /><br />These labels -- and that's all the talking heads will focus on today, the question of whether a college coach can succeed -- obfuscate the real question: Can <em>Izzo</em> handle it? I don't pretend to know. But if he wants an interview -- and it sounds like he does -- you give him one. Let him tell you what he can do with <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/BenGordon/">Ben Gordon</a> and <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/LuolDeng/">Luol Deng</a>.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/04/23/bulls-considering-tom-izzo-paxsons-quiet/">Bulls Considering Tom Izzo? Paxson's Quiet</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com">NBA FanHouse</a> on Wed, 23 Apr 2008 12:45:00 EST .  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><p style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;">&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/04/23/bulls-considering-tom-izzo-paxsons-quiet/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/forward/1175636/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&amp;fc=1&amp;url=http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/04/23/bulls-considering-tom-izzo-paxsons-quiet/" title="Linking Blogs">Linking&nbsp;Blogs</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/04/23/bulls-considering-tom-izzo-paxsons-quiet/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a></p>]]></description><category>JohnPaxson</category><category>RickCarlisle</category><category>TomIzzo</category><dc:creator>Tom Ziller</dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 23 Apr 2008 12:45:00 EST </pubDate></item><item><title>The NBA Won't Be Increasing the Age Limit for the Draft</title><link>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/04/08/the-nba-wont-be-increasing-the-age-limit-for-the-draft/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/04/08/the-nba-wont-be-increasing-the-age-limit-for-the-draft/</guid><comments>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/04/08/the-nba-wont-be-increasing-the-age-limit-for-the-draft/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/ncaa-basketball-coaches/" rel="tag">NCAA Basketball Coaches</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/ncaa-basketball-media-watch/" rel="tag">NCAA Basketball Media Watch</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/ncaa-basketball-rumors/" rel="tag">NCAA Basketball Rumors</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/nba-draft/" rel="tag">NBA Draft</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/nba-media-watch/" rel="tag">NBA Media Watch</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/nba-rumors/" rel="tag">NBA Rumors</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/nba-prospects/" rel="tag">NBA Prospects</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="right"  src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.fanhouse.com/media/2008/04/mbrand1.jpg" alt="" />There has been some discussion as to what it would mean about the <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2008/04/06/rumor-alert-ncaa-and-nba-agree-to-new-20-year-age-limit-for-nba/">rumored increase in the minimum age for the NBA Draft to age 20</a>. As <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2008/04/06/dont-expect-an-nba-age-limit-bump-yet/">suspected by some</a>, it does turn out, that <a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-spw-heisler8apr08,1,7237725.column">the rumor is untrue</a>.<br /><blockquote>Overheated press reports before today's joint NBA-NCAA news conference in San Antonio had NBA Commissioner David Stern and NCAA President Myles Brand about to announce a deal requiring college players to stay for two seasons instead of one.<br /><br />This was not only in error -- there's no deal, nor was one discussed -- but missed a fundamental point:<br /><br /> This isn't between the NBA and the NCAA. It's between the NBA and the  National Basketball Players Assn.<br /></blockquote> The NCAA may give its tacit or even explicit approval to an age requirement for the NBA Draft, but it has no legal or practical say in things.<br /><br />No, the press conference for today <a href="http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=396732">concerns the joint venture to change</a> the way youth basketball is structured, run and organized. The NCAA and NBA plan to contribute up to $15 million dollars each for a new program. One that will involve certifying  and training both officials and coaches at the lower levels. <br /><br />The details are sketchy to say the least. By accounts, it appears they are still formulating just what will happen, but they wanted to let everyone know something will be happening.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/04/08/the-nba-wont-be-increasing-the-age-limit-for-the-draft/">The NBA Won't Be Increasing the Age Limit for the Draft</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com">NBA FanHouse</a> on Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:12:00 EST .  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><p style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;">&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/04/08/the-nba-wont-be-increasing-the-age-limit-for-the-draft/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/forward/1161704/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&amp;fc=1&amp;url=http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/04/08/the-nba-wont-be-increasing-the-age-limit-for-the-draft/" title="Linking Blogs">Linking&nbsp;Blogs</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/04/08/the-nba-wont-be-increasing-the-age-limit-for-the-draft/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a></p>]]></description><dc:creator>Charles Rich</dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:12:00 EST </pubDate></item><item><title>Kobe Hearts Krzyzewski</title><link>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/03/20/kobe-hearts-krzyzewski/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/03/20/kobe-hearts-krzyzewski/</guid><comments>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/03/20/kobe-hearts-krzyzewski/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/lakers/" rel="tag">Lakers</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/duke-basketball/" rel="tag">Duke Basketball</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/big-east-basketball/" rel="tag">Big East Basketball</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/march-madness/" rel="tag">March Madness</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/ncaa-basketball-coaches/" rel="tag">NCAA Basketball Coaches</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/ncaa-basketball-media-watch/" rel="tag">NCAA Basketball Media Watch</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/nba-media-watch/" rel="tag">NBA Media Watch</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.fanhouse.com/media/2008/03/zoom-kobe-iiiduke.jpg" alt="" /><br />That is the new Zoom Kobe III from Nike. Actually it is the special edition of the sneaker made specifically for Duke at <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/tag/KobeBryant/">Kobe Bryant</a>'s request, because of "Kobe's admiration for Coach Mike Krzyzewski." Yes, Kobe had a special version of his sneaker made for the team he would have played for if he had gone to college. For the coach he would have played for, wanted the Lakers to hire a few years back and will be coached by him in the Summer Olympics.<br /><br />The Blue Devils will be wearing these sneakers for tonight's opening round NCAA Tournament game against Belmont this evening. The "regular" <a href="http://www.nike.com/index.jhtml?l=nikestore,pdp,_pdp,cid-1/gid-177433/pid-160168&amp;re=US&amp;co=US&amp;la=EN&amp;cp=USNT_KW_Froogle">version</a> retails for $130. So Coach K, has his State Farm Insurance commercial running this year and now a special edition of a Nike sneaker in his honor. Is it any wonder there are so many <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2008/03/20/what-kind-of-duke-hater-are-you/">Duke Haters</a>.<br /><br />It does makes me wonder, though, when Sebastian Telfair will come through for Rick Pitino that way.<br /><br /><strong>Previously on FanHouse:</strong><br /><a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/fanhouse/2008/03/20/what-kind-of-duke-hater-are-you/"> What Kind of Duke Hater Are You?</a><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/03/20/kobe-hearts-krzyzewski/">Kobe Hearts Krzyzewski</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com">NBA FanHouse</a> on Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:31:00 EST .  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><p style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;">&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/03/20/kobe-hearts-krzyzewski/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/forward/1145448/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&amp;fc=1&amp;url=http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/03/20/kobe-hearts-krzyzewski/" title="Linking Blogs">Linking&nbsp;Blogs</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/03/20/kobe-hearts-krzyzewski/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a></p>]]></description><category>kobe bryant</category><category>KobeBryant</category><dc:creator>Charles Rich</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:31:00 EST </pubDate></item><item><title>Reggie Theus to Leave New Mexico State for Sacramento Kings</title><link>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/06/19/reggie-theus-to-leave-new-mexico-state-for-sacramento-kings/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/06/19/reggie-theus-to-leave-new-mexico-state-for-sacramento-kings/</guid><comments>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/06/19/reggie-theus-to-leave-new-mexico-state-for-sacramento-kings/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/kings/" rel="tag">Kings</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/mid-majors-basketball/" rel="tag">Mid-Majors Basketball</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/ncaa-basketball-coaches/" rel="tag">NCAA Basketball Coaches</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="right" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.fanhouse.com/media/2007/06/reggietheus.jpg" alt="" />New Mexico State head basketball coach Reggie Theus is on the verge of leaving to become head coach of the Sacramento Kings, <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2909841">ESPN's Andy Katz is reporting</a>. <br />
<p>Theus took over a team that had gone 6-24 before he arrived two years ago and immediately turned it into a winner. He led New Mexico State to the NCAA tournament last season, its first appearance in the Big Dance since 1999. Before getting the New Mexico State job, he was an assistant to Rick Pitino at Louisville.</p>
<p>Katz is reporting that New Mexico State has offered Theus a raise from his current salary of $355,000 to $466,000, but that kind of bump is nothing compared to what the Kings will pay.</p>
Theus has done good work at New Mexico State, but he has made no secret that he'd like to coach in the NBA, and few if any observers thought he'd stay at New Mexico State for the long haul. Still, it's a disappointment to Aggie fans, and late June isn't the best time to go coach shopping.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/06/19/reggie-theus-to-leave-new-mexico-state-for-sacramento-kings/">Reggie Theus to Leave New Mexico State for Sacramento Kings</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com">NBA FanHouse</a> on Tue, 19 Jun 2007 21:32:00 EST .  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><p style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;">&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/06/19/reggie-theus-to-leave-new-mexico-state-for-sacramento-kings/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/forward/922003/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&amp;fc=1&amp;url=http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/06/19/reggie-theus-to-leave-new-mexico-state-for-sacramento-kings/" title="Linking Blogs">Linking&nbsp;Blogs</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/06/19/reggie-theus-to-leave-new-mexico-state-for-sacramento-kings/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a></p>]]></description><dc:creator>Michael David Smith</dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 19 Jun 2007 21:32:00 EST </pubDate></item><item><title>Magic Doing Florida a Favor, Keeping Donovan Out of NBA</title><link>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/06/05/magic-doing-florida-a-favor-keeping-donovan-out-of-nba/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/06/05/magic-doing-florida-a-favor-keeping-donovan-out-of-nba/</guid><comments>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/06/05/magic-doing-florida-a-favor-keeping-donovan-out-of-nba/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/magic/" rel="tag">Magic</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/florida-basketball/" rel="tag">Florida Basketball</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/sec-basketball/" rel="tag">SEC Basketball</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/ncaa-basketball-coaches/" rel="tag">NCAA Basketball Coaches</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/florida/" rel="tag">Florida</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="right" alt=""  src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.fanhouse.com/media/2007/06/billydonovanhand.jpg" />As Billy Donovan continues to negotiate his way out of the contract he signed last week with the Orlando Magic so he can continue to coach Florida, <a href="http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?id=2892797&amp;sport=nba&amp;ft=ss">the Magic wants Donovan to vow not to coach in the NBA for the next five years</a>.<br /><br />For Orlando, that makes sense: It's one thing to let a guy out of his professional contract because he tells you his heart is in college. It's another thing to let a guy out of his professional contract and have him coaching against you in a couple of years.<br /><br />For Donovan, though, that must be a hard pill to swallow. Even though he seems like he genuinely wants to stay at Florida for the rest of his career, it would be awfully risky to put in writing now that if  Jerry Buss comes to him in 2011 and offers him $10 million a year to coach the Lakers, he has to say no.<br /><br />And yet what choice does Donovan have? He'll look like an incredible hypocrite if he backs out of his contract with the Magic because he wants to coach Florida, only to refuse to sign an agreement not to go back to the NBA. Florida's administration and fans are willing to welcome Donovan back with open arms right now, but they'll be somewhat less enthusiastic about his return if they think he's just biding his time before jumping at the next NBA job.<br /><br />Ultimately, Orlando is helping Florida by forcing this issue. Last week the Gators thought they had lost their coach to the NBA. This week the Gators may get an assurance that they can't lose their coach to the NBA. <br /><br /><em>(Photo credit: Getty Images)</em><br /><br /><strong>Previously at Fanhouse:<br /></strong> <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/06/04/finale-magic-will-release-donovan/" rel="bookmark"><span id="pt910471">Finale? Magic Will Release Donovan</span></a> <br /><a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/06/04/anthony-grant-in-limbo-as-billy-donovan-reconsiders/">Anthony Grant in Limbo as Billy Donovan Reconsiders</a><br /><a rel="bookmark" href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/06/04/by-changing-his-mind-billy-donovan-is-in-good-company/"><span id="pt909917">By Changing His Mind, Billy Donovan Is in Good Company</span></a><br /><a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/06/04/paper-says-magic-will-allow-donovan-to-return-to-florida/">Paper Says Magic Will Allow Donovan to Return to Florida</a><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/06/05/magic-doing-florida-a-favor-keeping-donovan-out-of-nba/">Magic Doing Florida a Favor, Keeping Donovan Out of NBA</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com">NBA FanHouse</a> on Tue, 05 Jun 2007 07:32:00 EST .  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><p style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;">&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/06/05/magic-doing-florida-a-favor-keeping-donovan-out-of-nba/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/forward/910828/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&amp;fc=1&amp;url=http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/06/05/magic-doing-florida-a-favor-keeping-donovan-out-of-nba/" title="Linking Blogs">Linking&nbsp;Blogs</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/06/05/magic-doing-florida-a-favor-keeping-donovan-out-of-nba/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a></p>]]></description><dc:creator>Michael David Smith</dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 05 Jun 2007 07:32:00 EST </pubDate></item><item><title>Magic Not Letting Billy Donovan Go Back to Florida Just Yet</title><link>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/06/04/magic-not-letting-billy-donovan-go-back-to-florida-just-yet/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/06/04/magic-not-letting-billy-donovan-go-back-to-florida-just-yet/</guid><comments>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/06/04/magic-not-letting-billy-donovan-go-back-to-florida-just-yet/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/magic/" rel="tag">Magic</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/florida-basketball/" rel="tag">Florida Basketball</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/sec-basketball/" rel="tag">SEC Basketball</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/ncaa-basketball-coaches/" rel="tag">NCAA Basketball Coaches</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/nba-gossip/" rel="tag">NBA Gossip</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/florida/" rel="tag">Florida</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="right" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.fanhouse.com/media/2007/06/billydonovannet.jpg" />Contrary to previous reports that the <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/06/04/paper-says-magic-will-allow-donovan-to-return-to-florida/">Orlando Magic would allow Billy Donovan to back out of his deal and return to coach Florida</a>, there are indications this morning that the Magic still intend to keep Donovan as their coach.<br /><br />The Magic released a statement this morning in which they noted that Donovan signed a contract with them on Friday, and although the team acknowledged that Donovan feels conflicted, the statement says, "<a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2892334">we have a commitment from him that the dialogue between us will continue</a>." If the final decision had been made, there would be no reason for a continued dialogue. <br /><br />In addition, college basketball reporter Andy Katz said on ESPN this morning that, "the Orlando Magic are expecting Billy Donovan to honor this commitment." <br /><br />None of this means Donovan will stay as coach of the Magic. But Donovan's contract apparently includes a financial penalty if he backs out, and that could make Donovan's decision a lot tougher. This story is a long way from being over.<br /><br /><em>(Photo credit: Getty Images)</em><br /><br /><strong>Previously at Fanhouse:<br /></strong><a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/06/03/breaking-fox-reports-donovan-wants-out-of-magic-deal-to-return/">Donovan Wants Out of Magic Deal, To Return to Florida</a><br /> <a rel="bookmark" href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/06/04/by-changing-his-mind-billy-donovan-is-in-good-company/"><span id="pt909917">By Changing His Mind, Billy Donovan Is in Good Company</span></a> <br /> <a rel="bookmark" href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/06/04/anthony-grant-in-limbo-as-billy-donovan-reconsiders/"><span id="pt909904">Anthony Grant in Limbo as Billy Donovan Reconsiders</span></a><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/06/04/magic-not-letting-billy-donovan-go-back-to-florida-just-yet/">Magic Not Letting Billy Donovan Go Back to Florida Just Yet</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com">NBA FanHouse</a> on Mon, 04 Jun 2007 08:59:00 EST .  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><p style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;">&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/06/04/magic-not-letting-billy-donovan-go-back-to-florida-just-yet/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/forward/909960/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&amp;fc=1&amp;url=http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/06/04/magic-not-letting-billy-donovan-go-back-to-florida-just-yet/" title="Linking Blogs">Linking&nbsp;Blogs</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/06/04/magic-not-letting-billy-donovan-go-back-to-florida-just-yet/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a></p>]]></description><dc:creator>Michael David Smith</dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 04 Jun 2007 08:59:00 EST </pubDate></item><item><title>Sources Confirm Billy Donovan Will Leave Gators for Magic</title><link>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/31/sources-confirm-billy-donovan-will-leave-gators-for-magic/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/31/sources-confirm-billy-donovan-will-leave-gators-for-magic/</guid><comments>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/31/sources-confirm-billy-donovan-will-leave-gators-for-magic/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/magic/" rel="tag">Magic</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/florida-basketball/" rel="tag">Florida Basketball</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/sec-basketball/" rel="tag">SEC Basketball</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/ncaa-basketball-coaches/" rel="tag">NCAA Basketball Coaches</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/nba-eastern/" rel="tag">Eastern</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/nba-rumors/" rel="tag">NBA Rumors</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="right" alt="Billy Donovan" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.fanhouse.com/media/2007/05/billy-donovan-head-180.jpg" />An NBA official confirmed to the Associated Press that <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/nba/story/_a/official-donovan-leaving-florida-to/n20070531183209990003?cid=562">Billy Donovan will be leaving the University of Florida</a> to accept a head coaching job with the Orlando Magic. He will reportedly receive a five-year deal worth $27.5 million, which is a year shorter than the initial six-year, $30 million figure floating around earlier today. <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2888555">ESPN.com's Pat Forde also received confirmation</a>, speaking with a source within the Magic organization: <blockquote>"We're not worried about hiring a college coach -- not this college coach," a source told Forde. "He's proven he's won. He's young and he works well with a young team. This team is one step above a college team right now, it's so young. They're just learning how to play together, and someone like Billy will be perfect.<br /><br />"I also don't think this job is as bad as some of the others that college coaches have walked into. It's not like he's inheriting a bad team, and that's usually the case for a college guy making the transition. The hardest part was for Billy. It was a tough decision for him because of everything that's happened at Florida, because of what he's built there. He was happy there."<br /><br />The source said that Donovan will have no front-office responsibilities. "He's just the coach," the source said.</blockquote>So far there has been no official announcement posted Magic's official website, although Forde's source indicated that an announcement would be made tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. Today's news surely caught Florida's incoming recruits off-guard, but at least two -- point guard Nick Calathes and small forward Chandler Parsons -- indicated <a href="http://collegebasketball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=678780">they would not seek a release from their letter of intent</a> if Donovan in fact leaves the school.<br /><br /><em>(Photo credit: Getty Images)<br /><br /></em><strong>Previously at FanHouse:</strong><br /> <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/05/31/billy-donovan-expected-to-leave-florida-for-magic/">Paper: Billy Donovan Expected to Leave Florida for Magic</a><br /><a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/05/24/can-the-orlando-magic-hire-billy-donovan/" rel="bookmark"><span id="pt903482">Can the Orlando Magic Hire Billy Donovan?</span></a><br /> <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/05/20/donovan-contract-extension-has-plausible-deniability/" rel="bookmark"><span id="pt900310">Donovan Contract Extension has Plausible Deniability</span></a> <br /> <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/05/13/donovan-never-says-never-to-the-nba/" rel="bookmark"><span id="pt895245">Donovan Never Says Never to the NBA</span></a> <br /> <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/05/07/billy-donovan-visited-grizzlies-but-will-stay-at-florida/">Billy Donovan Visited Grizzlies But Will Stay at Florida</a> <br /><a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/04/03/the-grizzlies-want-billy-donovan/">The Grizzlies Want Billy Donovan</a><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/31/sources-confirm-billy-donovan-will-leave-gators-for-magic/">Sources Confirm Billy Donovan Will Leave Gators for Magic</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com">NBA FanHouse</a> on Thu, 31 May 2007 19:00:00 EST .  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><p style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;">&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/31/sources-confirm-billy-donovan-will-leave-gators-for-magic/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/forward/908179/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&amp;fc=1&amp;url=http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/31/sources-confirm-billy-donovan-will-leave-gators-for-magic/" title="Linking Blogs">Linking&nbsp;Blogs</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/31/sources-confirm-billy-donovan-will-leave-gators-for-magic/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a></p>]]></description><category>Billy Donovan</category><category>BillyDonovan</category><dc:creator>Matt Watson</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 31 May 2007 19:00:00 EST </pubDate></item><item><title>Paper: Billy Donovan Expected to Leave Florida for Magic</title><link>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/31/billy-donovan-expected-to-leave-florida-for-magic/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/31/billy-donovan-expected-to-leave-florida-for-magic/</guid><comments>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/31/billy-donovan-expected-to-leave-florida-for-magic/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/magic/" rel="tag">Magic</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/florida-basketball/" rel="tag">Florida Basketball</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/sec-basketball/" rel="tag">SEC Basketball</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/ncaa-basketball-coaches/" rel="tag">NCAA Basketball Coaches</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/nba-rumors/" rel="tag">NBA Rumors</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="right" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.fanhouse.com/media/2007/05/billydonovannet.jpg" />As long as Billy Donovan is the head basketball coach at Florida, we'll hear rumors that he's on the verge of leaving. But this one seems to have advanced past the rumor stage: The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that <a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/basketball/magic/orl-magic0107june01,0,2210050.story?coll=orl-home-headlines">Donovan is likely to leave the Gators</a> to coach the Orlando Magic.<br /><br /><blockquote>Donovan is expected to become the next coach of the Orlando Magic after he was presented with a substantial contract offer, officials with the NBA team told the <em>Orlando Sentinel</em>.... Two league sources had told the <em>Sentinel</em> on Tuesday that the Magic had been in contact with Donovan's agent, Lonnie Cooper. When asked about the job Wednesday, though, Donovan said he had not spoken with the Magic.<br /> <br /> The University of Florida had been making plans to announce Donovan's contract extension next week. On Wednesday night, though, the Magic made a firm offer to Donovan.<br /></blockquote>The departure of the 42-year-old Donovan, the brightest young star in the coaching business, would be a devastating loss for the two-time defending national champion Gators. In Orlando, Donovan would replace Brian Hill, who was <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/05/23/magic-expected-to-decide-brian-hills-fate-soon/">fired</a> last week.<br /><br />UPDATE: ESPN's Pat Forde reports that the contract offer is for <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2888555">six years at $6 million a year</a>. Chris Broussard just reported on ESPNews that "there's a good chance" Donovan will take the job.<br /><br />UPDATE 2: ESPN's Andy Katz reports that Donovan has not decided whether to accept the Magic's offer, but that a decision should be made by tomorrow.<br /><br />UPDATE 3: When asked yesterday about rumors he could leave Florida, <a href="http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070531/GATORS02/70531007/-1/sports">Donovan told the Gainesville Sun</a>, "I'm not commenting on sources. I'm not going down that road. That's why I don't want to comment because I know nothing (about it). Anybody can say anything."<br /><br /><em>(Photo: Getty Images)</em><br /><br /><strong>Previously at FanHouse:</strong><br /> <a rel="bookmark" href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/05/24/can-the-orlando-magic-hire-billy-donovan/"><span id="pt903482">Can the Orlando Magic Hire Billy Donovan?</span></a><br /> <a rel="bookmark" href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/05/20/donovan-contract-extension-has-plausible-deniability/"><span id="pt900310">Donovan Contract Extension has Plausible Deniability</span></a> <br /> <a rel="bookmark" href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/05/13/donovan-never-says-never-to-the-nba/"><span id="pt895245">Donovan Never Says Never to the NBA</span></a> <br /> <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/05/07/billy-donovan-visited-grizzlies-but-will-stay-at-florida/">Billy Donovan Visited Grizzlies But Will Stay at Florida</a> <br /><a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/04/03/the-grizzlies-want-billy-donovan/">The Grizzlies Want Billy Donovan</a><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/31/billy-donovan-expected-to-leave-florida-for-magic/">Paper: Billy Donovan Expected to Leave Florida for Magic</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com">NBA FanHouse</a> on Thu, 31 May 2007 15:02:00 EST .  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><p style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;">&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/31/billy-donovan-expected-to-leave-florida-for-magic/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/forward/907999/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&amp;fc=1&amp;url=http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/31/billy-donovan-expected-to-leave-florida-for-magic/" title="Linking Blogs">Linking&nbsp;Blogs</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/31/billy-donovan-expected-to-leave-florida-for-magic/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a></p>]]></description><dc:creator>Michael David Smith</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 31 May 2007 15:02:00 EST </pubDate></item><item><title>Donovan Never Says Never to the NBA</title><link>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/13/donovan-never-says-never-to-the-nba/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/13/donovan-never-says-never-to-the-nba/</guid><comments>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/13/donovan-never-says-never-to-the-nba/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/magic/" rel="tag">Magic</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/florida-basketball/" rel="tag">Florida Basketball</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/sec-basketball/" rel="tag">SEC Basketball</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/ncaa-basketball-coaches/" rel="tag">NCAA Basketball Coaches</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/nba-rumors/" rel="tag">NBA Rumors</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/florida/" rel="tag">Florida</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="right"  src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.fanhouse.com/media/2007/05/bdonovaneyes.jpg" alt="" />There is nothing wrong with that. It's smarter than categorically denying interest, and then turning around and taking another job. In fact, it's seems necessary for coaches to always leave the door open a crack to other possibilities. For Florida Coach Billy Donovan, the NBA is the subtle siren that whispers of potential, immortality and rewards. All the while threatening to dash him on the rocks of hubris, arrogance, bad management and  impatience<br /><br />Earlier this month it was <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/05/07/billy-donovan-visited-grizzlies-but-will-stay-at-florida/">rumors of the Memphis Grizzlies pursuing</a> him. Something Florida <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/05/07/donovan-grizzlies-report-turns-out-to-be-b-s/">Gator partisans hotly disputed</a> as meaning anything. Now, the rumors will begin with the Orlando Magic. It may be nothing, since Bob Hill hasn't even been fired -- <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/05/03/nba-coaching-guillotine-brian-hill/">yet</a>. Maybe just bored Orlando beat writers trying to find names of possible candidates when it happens. Still, they actually contacted Billy Donovan, and he <a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/basketball/magic/orl-magic1207may12,0,3925547.story?coll=orl-magic">didn't exactly make the possibility of leaping to the NBA a non-issue</a>.<br /> <blockquote>   Donovan, though, wouldn't discount the possibility of making the jump to the NBA, saying he relishes the idea of being able to concentrate on basketball all year. He said he has not talked with any NBA team since his informal interview recently with the Memphis Grizzlies.<br /><br />    "I've always been intrigued by the NBA just because it's all basketball," he said, noting the NCAA's restrictions on offseason practice. "That's the one thing that's always been the case for me is I love being in the gym.<br /><br />    "But I have to say I'm very, very happy at Florida."</blockquote>Now, to be fair, he is clearly not pursuing any NBA jobs. The interest at this point is all coming from the NBA direction. He is only saying that the NBA has "intrigued" him.  And, yes, he reiterated how happy he is at Florida. <br /><br />It also can't be disputed that he is keeping the door to the NBA open far more than a mere crack. It may not be this year. Maybe not next. It does seem increasingly likely that sooner rather than later, a team will make the offer he can no longer resist. <br /><br /><strong>Previously at FanHouse:</strong><br /> <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/05/11/magic-finding-a-new-coach-before-theyve-fired-the-old-one/">Magic Finding a New Coach Before They've Fired the Old One</a> <br /><a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/05/03/nba-coaching-guillotine-brian-hill/">NBA Coaching Guillotine: Brian Hill</a><br /><a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/05/07/donovan-grizzlies-report-turns-out-to-be-b-s/">Donovan/Grizzlies Report Turns Out to be B.S.</a> <br /> <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/05/07/billy-donovan-visited-grizzlies-but-will-stay-at-florida/">Billy Donovan Visited Grizzlies But Will Stay at Florida</a> <br /><a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/04/03/the-grizzlies-want-billy-donovan/">The Grizzlies Want Billy Donovan</a> <br /> <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/04/15/will-billy-donovan-be-the-nets-next-coach/"><br /></a><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/13/donovan-never-says-never-to-the-nba/">Donovan Never Says Never to the NBA</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com">NBA FanHouse</a> on Sun, 13 May 2007 18:12:00 EST .  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><p style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;">&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/13/donovan-never-says-never-to-the-nba/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/forward/895245/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&amp;fc=1&amp;url=http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/13/donovan-never-says-never-to-the-nba/" title="Linking Blogs">Linking&nbsp;Blogs</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/13/donovan-never-says-never-to-the-nba/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a></p>]]></description><category>Billy Donovan</category><category>BillyDonovan</category><dc:creator>Charles Rich</dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 13 May 2007 18:12:00 EST </pubDate></item><item><title>Billy Donovan Visited Grizzlies But Will Stay at Florida</title><link>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/07/billy-donovan-visited-grizzlies-but-will-stay-at-florida/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/07/billy-donovan-visited-grizzlies-but-will-stay-at-florida/</guid><comments>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/07/billy-donovan-visited-grizzlies-but-will-stay-at-florida/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/grizzlies/" rel="tag">Grizzlies</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/florida-basketball/" rel="tag">Florida Basketball</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/ncaa-basketball-coaches/" rel="tag">NCAA Basketball Coaches</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/florida/" rel="tag">Florida</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="right" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.fanhouse.com/media/2007/05/billydonovanwave.jpg" />As long as he's at Florida, we'll hear reports that coach Billy Donovan could be leaving for greener pastures. But <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Ak_fPlLeNHmA2xIODx9KD9PevbYF?slug=aw-donovan050607&amp;prov=yhoo&amp;type=lgns">Yahoo Sports is reporting</a> that after discussing the possibility of leaving Florida to coach the Memphis Grizzlies, Donovan has decided that he's not going anywhere this year. <br /><br />That's not to say Donovan didn't get a good offer:<br /><blockquote>According to one Donovan associate, it was believed that the Grizzlies would've been willing to pay him $5 million a year to coach the team. Donovan has long been intrigued with the NBA, and the prospects of Memphis getting a chance to draft Ohio State's Greg Oden or Texas' Kevin Durant in the 2007 draft made the job more attractive to him.</blockquote><br />But while the Grizzlies were willing to give Donovan more money than he can make at Florida, they wouldn't give him total control over the franchise. And if you're an elite college coach, why settle for anything less than total control? In his current job, Donovan can pick his players without any interference from the administration. Until an NBA team can make the same promise, there's no reason he should leave.<br /><br /><strong>Previously at FanHouse:</strong><br /> <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/04/25/larry-brown-to-memphis/" rel="bookmark"><span id="pt882059">Larry Brown to Memphis?</span></a> <br /> <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/04/03/the-grizzlies-want-billy-donovan/" rel="bookmark"><span id="pt866292">The Grizzlies Want Billy Donovan</span></a> <br /> <a href="http://www.fanhouse.com/2007/04/15/will-billy-donovan-be-the-nets-next-coach/" rel="bookmark"><span id="pt874797">Will Billy Donovan Be the Nets Next Coach?</span></a><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/07/billy-donovan-visited-grizzlies-but-will-stay-at-florida/">Billy Donovan Visited Grizzlies But Will Stay at Florida</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com">NBA FanHouse</a> on Mon, 07 May 2007 10:04:00 EST .  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><p style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;">&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/07/billy-donovan-visited-grizzlies-but-will-stay-at-florida/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/forward/890371/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&amp;fc=1&amp;url=http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/07/billy-donovan-visited-grizzlies-but-will-stay-at-florida/" title="Linking Blogs">Linking&nbsp;Blogs</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/05/07/billy-donovan-visited-grizzlies-but-will-stay-at-florida/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a></p>]]></description><category>Billy Donovan</category><category>BillyDonovan</category><dc:creator>Michael David Smith</dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 07 May 2007 10:04:00 EST </pubDate></item><item><title>Could John Thompson Leave Georgetown For the NBA?</title><link>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/03/28/could-john-thompson-leave-georgetown-for-the-nba/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/03/28/could-john-thompson-leave-georgetown-for-the-nba/</guid><comments>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/03/28/could-john-thompson-leave-georgetown-for-the-nba/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/bobcats/" rel="tag">Bobcats</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/georgetown-basketball/" rel="tag">Georgetown Basketball</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/ncaa-basketball-coaches/" rel="tag">NCAA Basketball Coaches</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="right"  src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.fanhouse.com/media/2007/03/200_73703339.jpg" alt="" />As wild as that sounds, just keep in mind that Tubby Smith left Kentucky for Minnesota. Different situation, I know, but just file it away somewhere.<br /><br />That being said, the <a href="http://www.washtimes.com/sports/20070328-124211-6236r.htm">Washington Times claims </a>that one of the NBA's worst teams, the Charlotte Bobcats, have been making overtures in the general direction of the first coach to get the Hoyas back to the Final Four since 1985. <br /><blockquote>Sources close to Thompson indicated the coach has been approached by several different NBA franchises in the last year, most recently receiving overtures from the Charlotte Bobcats, who are owned by District native and BET founder Robert Johnson. <br />Those sources also said yesterday Thompson is not immediately interested in acting on those potential offers. But the Final Four serves as an unofficial convention for coaches and athletic directors. Given plum openings such as the Michigan job, more schools might begin knocking on Thompson's door this weekend.</blockquote>If you're looking for a hole in the story, here's a big one: there isn't a Georgetown senior on the roster who sees significant playing time. The team's two best players, Jeff Green and Roy Hibbert, are juniors. Both would be first-round NBA picks if they were to come out; perhaps even lottery picks. In the backcourt, Jessie Sapp is a sophomore, Jonathan Wallace a junior. Forward DaJuan Summers, who had that electrifying breakaway dunk in the overtime win over North Carolina, is a freshman. And there's some decent help on the way in the form of<a href="http://georgetown.rivals.com/commitlist.asp?sport=2&amp;year=2007&amp;school=25"> two Top 50</a> recruits.<br /><br />Personally, I'd like to see Thompson stick around for a few more years before considering making the leap. Plus, the Bobcats job is a dead-end gig. Even with what appears to be a Top 5 pick, the Bobcats are a couple years away from competing in the Eastern Conference.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/03/28/could-john-thompson-leave-georgetown-for-the-nba/">Could John Thompson Leave Georgetown For the NBA?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com">NBA FanHouse</a> on Wed, 28 Mar 2007 23:57:00 EST .  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><p style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;">&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/03/28/could-john-thompson-leave-georgetown-for-the-nba/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/forward/862745/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&amp;fc=1&amp;url=http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/03/28/could-john-thompson-leave-georgetown-for-the-nba/" title="Linking Blogs">Linking&nbsp;Blogs</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/03/28/could-john-thompson-leave-georgetown-for-the-nba/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a></p>]]></description><dc:creator>The Big Lead</dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 28 Mar 2007 23:57:00 EST </pubDate></item><item><title>Devil Incarnate Fired at USD; Musselman A Candidate?</title><link>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/03/08/devil-incarnate-fired-at-usd-musselman-to-leave-sac-town/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/03/08/devil-incarnate-fired-at-usd-musselman-to-leave-sac-town/</guid><comments>http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/03/08/devil-incarnate-fired-at-usd-musselman-to-leave-sac-town/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/kings/" rel="tag">Kings</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/mid-majors-basketball/" rel="tag">Mid-Majors Basketball</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/ncaa-basketball-coaches/" rel="tag">NCAA Basketball Coaches</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/ncaa-basketball-rumors/" rel="tag">NCAA Basketball Rumors</a>, <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/category/nba-rumors/" rel="tag">NBA Rumors</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="right" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.fanhouse.com/media/2007/03/devilholland.jpg" />Brad Holland might not be the devil incarnate, but you would be hard pressed to find a Cal State Fullerton fan who isn't tickled that the malefactor was let go in San Diego. And a word of warning to those USD fans, keep an eye out for some NCAA sanctions. The last time Holland left a job (CSF), probation and a long clean-up followed. <br /><br />Tyson commented on a <a href="http://chargers.aolsportsblog.com/2007/02/21/fire-brad-holland/1#c3892320">previous post </a>that word out of Sacramento indicates that Eric Musselman is heading to San Diego to take the job. Musselman is a USD alum and would be a great choice to lead the Toreros. The apologists on 1090 AM here in SoCal have been bemoaning the fact that Holland was a good guy (he's not) who did a lot of good for the program (he didn't). <br /><br />USD had some limited success, but weren't a consistent winner. You can point to the tough academic standards, but conference-mate Gonzaga follows the same rules. There is no reason why a college hoops team in San Diego couldn't enjoy the same success as Gonzaga, if not more. Would you rather play in Spokane, Wash. or San Diego? Of course, the Toreros would lose out on the pot-head/shroom users, but they should be able to get enough players into the program. <br /><br />This should be viewed as a negative for the rest of the conference because now that the incompetence of Holland is removed, this program could really make some noise.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/03/08/devil-incarnate-fired-at-usd-musselman-to-leave-sac-town/">Devil Incarnate Fired at USD; Musselman A Candidate?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com">NBA FanHouse</a> on Thu, 08 Mar 2007 21:49:00 EST .  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><p style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;">&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/03/08/devil-incarnate-fired-at-usd-musselman-to-leave-sac-town/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/forward/849009/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&amp;fc=1&amp;url=http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/03/08/devil-incarnate-fired-at-usd-musselman-to-leave-sac-town/" title="Linking Blogs">Linking&nbsp;Blogs</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/03/08/devil-incarnate-fired-at-usd-musselman-to-leave-sac-town/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a></p>]]></description><dc:creator>Adam Rank</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 08 Mar 2007 21:49:00 EST </pubDate></item></channel></rss>