Rivals Roundtable: Rick Pitino, rising prospects, Gonzaga
Each Monday, Rivals.com national analysts Rob Cassidy, Jamie Shaw and Dan McDonald discuss three topics related to college basketball. This week, they debate whether or not Gonzaga’s loss to Duke removes the Bulldogs as strong favorites to win the national title, as well as where Rick Pitino may be coaching next year and which prospects are making cases to slide up the rankings.
*****
More: The good, bad and ugly of the 2021-22 season so far
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2023 Rankings: Rivals150
2024 Rankings: Top 40
*****
1. Will Rick Pitino be coaching at a high-major program next year at this time?
Cassidy: I’m going to say no. I certainly think somebody will look past Rick Pitino's transgressions and make a run at him, but are we sure he wants to deal with increased stress or pressure at 69 years old. I just can’t see him jumping at a job unless it gives him a legitimate chance to win a national title. Maybe I’m foolish, but I think odds are he’ll ride it out at Iona.
McDonald: I’ll go out on a little bit of a limb and say he will be coaching at a high-major program next year. Just looking a few months out, it could be a pretty crazy year of coaching changes. Believe it or not, Pitino is a full year younger than Nick Saban and doesn’t appear to have lost his hunger to coach or his ability to get players. There will be an athletic director out there somewhere who wants to make a splashy hire and choose Pitino.
Shaw: With regards to Pitino, my focus is firmly planted on Miami. I am not sure when that job will flip, but that is the job I am interested in him eventually looking to take. Pitino is in a great place at Iona, and has that program in a good spot, so at 69-years-old he is in a place where he will not just leave for anything. However, there may be some hirings that happen at Miami that have direct ties to Pitino, so I think it could be only a matter of time.
*****
2. Which prospect (any class) have you seen recently that is making a case to move up in ranking?
Cassidy: After missing nearly a year due to injury, Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn is now healthy and reminding everyone why he’s regarded as one of the top guards in the 2023 class. He’s been stuffing box scores since the start of the season and proving to be more than just an explosive scorer. Gibbs-Lawhorn is facilitating and contributing on the glass on a regular basis, impacting games in a number of ways. I’ll be interested to see how he fares as the season progresses but a move into the top 30 isn’t out of the question.
McDonald: After getting my first in-person look at Ohio State signee Roddy Gayle in a long time this weekend, he’s somebody I believe needs a healthy bump in the next rankings update. He’s a really talented scorer and a really good athlete with size in the backcourt. He can legitimately play both guard spots. He’ll help out the Buckeyes immediately.
Shaw: Standing at 7-1 you immediately notice Isaiah Miranda. In his game at National Prep Showcase Miranda finished with 28 points on 13-19 from the field and 2-4 from three. The 2023 class has a void of centers popping up at the national level, and the way Miranda moves and his raw athletic ability there is too much upside to ignore here. Miranda showed a good mix of scoring from the dunkers spot, as a roll man, attacking from the mid and high post, and in pick and pop situations. He is still ironing out his game, and growing in some facets, but currently sitting at No. 42 he should continue to see a steady climb as he enters the conversation of top-three center in the class.
*****
3. We did this question last year at this time. Let’s do it again. Gonzaga vs. the field for the title, who are you taking?
Cassidy: I’d have taken the field even before the Zags lost to Duke on Friday night. It’s always a play on the odds for me. I still think Gonzaga is the best team in the country, and the fact that Mark Few’s bunch showed it could stand toe to toe with Duke even with Chet Holmgren battling foul trouble was encouraging, but foul trouble, injuries and off nights strike just as easily in March as they do in November. The field is simply the smart money.
McDonald: I’ll take the field. Not only do I think Duke could get them again in the NCAA Tournament as this could be Coach K’s best team in a long time. I think we’ll see a lot of teams get better as the year goes on with so many teams adding so many new pieces via the transfer portal this past off-season. Looking at the current Top 25, there are at least a dozen teams I could see knocking off Gonzaga in a one-game scenario come March/early April.
Shaw: The field is the easy answer here. While Gonzaga was the deserved preseason No. 1, you have to have a lot of things break right to win a title. In last year’s championship game, Gonzaga showed they struggle against talented length and athleticism. The Zags lost two first-round draft picks from their back court, and did not replace them with NBA talent. While Julian Strawther has taken a step and Chet Holmgren is in the conversation for the No. 1 pick, neither are ready to carry a team. Duke just further showed the Zags tend to struggle against talented length and athleticism.