Rivals Roundtable: Louisville vacancy, mid-major sleepers, Liam McNeeley
We’re in the thick of college basketball’s most exciting month, which leaves us no shortage of topics to discuss in this week’s Rivals Roundtable. So this week national analysts Rob Cassidy and Jason Jordan dabble in a few different subjects, as they address the Louisville coaching search, five-star Liam McNeeley being back on the market and which mid-major player might steal the show when the NCAA tournament gets under way.
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1. KENNY PAYNE IS OUT AND THE LOUISVILLE JOB IS OFFICIALLY OPEN. WHICH COACHES WOULD YOU HAVE ON YOUR SHORT LIST IF YOU WERE IN CHARGE?
Cassidy: I suppose my first two calls would be to Baylor’s Scott Drew and Houston’s Kelvin Sampson, even if such calls feel at least a little optimistic. Alabama head coach Nate Oats’ buyout dropped from $12 million to $10 million this week, so that’s a call worth making as well. After that, things start to get interesting.
Personally, I’d strongly prefer a candidate with multiple years of high-major success if I were Heird. This rules out names like FAU’s Dusty May and Kansas State’s Jerome Tang as priority options. This hire is much too important to roll the dice on anyone that has made a name for themselves based on one magical season. I’d prioritize coaches like UCLA’s Mick Cronin and Xavier’s Sean Miller before I’d gamble on 2022-23 NCAA tournament darlings such as Tang and May, both of whom are nice backup plans should some more proven options fall through.
Jordan: My first call is to Scott Drew at Baylor just to check his temperature. Now, to be clear I don’t see him leaving, but you’ve got to make the call. My second call is to Mick Cronin at UCLA, though I know the buyout could be the hindrance. Same for Alabama’s Nate Oats. After all of that, I’m going all in for Amir Abdur-Rahim at South Florida. In year one he’s led the Bulls to their first regular season AAC title, going 23-6. He’s got strong recruiting ties and a track record for turning things around. Smart call to make.
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2. WHICH PLAYER ON MID- OR LOW-MAJOR TEAM ARE YOU MOST EXCITED FOR FANS TO GET ACQUAINTED WITH WHEN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT STARTS NEXT WEEK?
Cassidy: I’ve been beating the drum on Boise State all year, and I really hope the Broncos get a good draw because I love watching both Tyson Degenhart and O'Mar Stanley play, and the Broncos are capable of making a long run. That said, I'll go for a deeper cut here because everyone loves high-scoring guards. and Stetson’s Jalen Blackmon is just that. The junior guard is averaging 21.5 and threw up a 43-spot in the Atlantic Sun championship earlier this week. His three-level scoring prowess is really something to behold, as he’s absolutely taken over multiple games in big spots this season. Blackmon has averaged 23 points in three matchups with Big 12 foes this season, which suggests he’s capable of leaving a mark on the NCAA tournament, even if Stetson’s run isn’t a particularly long one.
Jordan: Definitely Riley Minix from Morehead State, he’s the college version of Luka Doncic with ability that defies logic at times. At 6-foot-7, Minix is a dominant rebounder and he scores in every way imaginable from fadeaways to pick-and-pops to creating off the dribble. This season, Minix averaged 20.8 points a game and served as a headache of a matchup every night. That won’t change with better competition, he’s really that good.
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3. ARE YOU TAKING KANSAS OR THE FIELD IN THE SECOND RECRUITMENT OF FORMER INDIANA COMMIT LIAM MCNEELEY?
Cassidy: In 95 percent of blank-vs.-field scenarios, I’ll take the field. This question might be part of the five percent, however. Buzz linking Liam McNeeley to other programs has been almost non-existent since his decommitment and there’s already a relationship in place between the McNeeley family and the Kansas staff, as the five-star forward visited Lawrence in September before committing to Indiana.
The fit also seems logical, seeing as though the Texas-born All-American would get to stay in Big 12 country while playing for a high-profile program that seems to need his shooting ability desperately. We’ll see what happens in the coming month, but unless McNeeley begins to take additional visits, I feel like KU is a smart bet. Texas seems like the biggest threat on the surface, but there hasn’t been much chatter linking McNeeley to the home-state Longhorns since his decision to reopen his recruitment.
Jordan: Conventional wisdom says to take Kansas because of the relationship between McNeeley and the staff, but his stock has skyrocketed this season as one of the most versatile weapons in the country and that adds layers to a decision of this magnitude. His camp has done a great job of keeping things close to the vest and I wouldn’t expect much to leak out before he and No. 1 Montverde Academy finish up at Chipotle Nationals in early April. Naturally, McNeeley’s recruitment will be a key storyline at the McDonald’s All-American game, but at this point I’m taking the field.