“I hate analytics. ... Even the plus-minus thing. At the end of the game you can have all zeroes in the stats and your plus-minus is plus-12 because the four around you have done a great job of getting the score up.”
olds in terms of how you get exposed. I think it’s the right step. We’re closer to the NBA opening their doors. There has to be an alternative to that kid who just wants to go earn a living. I think the model that makes the most sense is in European soccer: They have these clubs, the kids are educated, they’re paid, they’re trained, but it’s very organized and there is a lot of money put into it. If the NBA’s going to do that, they’ve got to put a lot of money into these G League teams.”
Greenberg: “The NBA is trying to find a bridge for kids who don’t want to go to college. That’s great. My concern with all this is $125,000 is $75,000 [after taxes]. It’s a one-year deal. If that player has a bad year, where does he go back to? Where is the support system? If he goes back to the GLeague, they’re not going to pay $125,000 the second year. … It’s not well thought out.”
On The FBI Probe
During the panel discussion, coaches discussed the ongoing FBI probe, and trial, regarding bribery and fraud in college basketball recruiting:
Sacred Heart’s Anthony Latina: “At first, shock. Why does the FBI care about college basketball? There are so few schools that are actually involved. It’s obviously a problem. At the highest level, it’s such a business. Hopefully, it’s relatively smaller in numbers.”
Central Connecticut’s Donyell Marshall: “Being a former All-American [at UConn], one thing I can say is, I’ve never been a part of that. But it’s something that’s been going on for a long time, so it really wasn’t a shock. It was more of a shock that it took such a long time to come out. It’s a difficult thing to get a handle on, but you have to some way or somehow.”
Hurley: “What insulates me from those conversations is my background, who my dad [Bob Sr.] is, his reputation. I just don’t understand, if you pay a kid, if you’re part of a staff that pays a kid, I just don’t understand — how can you then coach him? I don’t know how you can then set the standard for them to live up to every day if you sold your soul to get them.”
Fairfield’s Sydney Johnson: “I don’t think it’s all of college basketball, but obviously there is something going on at the elite level, and kids are trying to make decisions, whether to invest in themselves long term, four years, or take the money and run. With college athletics, there is this pull of trying to develop young men and transform their lives, and the money that’s in the game. Something’s got to give.”
Analytics
Marshall played the role of old-schooler when it came to analytics. As the coaches discussed, modern thinking is to emphasize 3-pointers and layups over the mid-range jumper as a more efficient approach to scoring.
Marshall: “Personally, I hate analytics. Maybe because I played, it drives me crazy. Even the plus-minus thing. At the end of the game you can have all zeroes in the stats and your plus-minus is plus-12 because the four around you have done a great job of getting the score up. It’s one of those things we don’t really look at. We just go out there and try to score the most points.”