So... is LaVall Jordan a Top Flight Coach?
Those keeping an eye on the season up to this point have undoubtedly noticed Butler's emergence as a top 10 team, one in the running for a top seed in the tournament. I think I can assume that we're all (for the most part) very satisfied with Juwan's performance and the way he's tracking for the future, but I remember during the coaching carousel that most were skeptical of Jordan's record when considering him for the Michigan job. Makes one think, even if Juwan were to leave for the NBA (please no) in the near future, would we even have a chance at this point of replacing him with LaVall (considering he's doing a great job at his alma mater)?
Regardless, it's been fun watching a former Beilein known friend and trusted agent finding some early success.
January 7th, 2020 at 9:48 PM ^
I hope so, but he's been all over the place as a head coach (11-24, 21-14, 16-17, now 14-1) so I really have no idea.
January 7th, 2020 at 9:51 PM ^
Magic 8 ball should have the choice “ too early to tell.”
January 7th, 2020 at 9:57 PM ^
Lavall could win coach of the year in college basketball.
Obviously they nearly won a national title, but this is the highest they've ever been in the regular season.
They're a legitimate national title contender
January 7th, 2020 at 10:17 PM ^
They got Baldwin & McDermott as upperclassmen that he didn’t recruit. Good for him this year and hope he can continue. I like Butler. But he needs to do it again before he moves up to “elite level”.
January 7th, 2020 at 10:23 PM ^
I think he'd do alright here...but I don't see the legacy and development of Beilein or the recruiting prowess of Howard. So in 2-3 years I think you'd be looking at an annual bubble team. Not bad, but not great.
January 7th, 2020 at 10:30 PM ^
Man, January 7 of Juwan’s first year and you’re already speculating about his possible replacement. Very impressive.
January 7th, 2020 at 10:46 PM ^
Yeah, it's clear that some people are (understandably) interpreting this as such, but what I was trying to emphasize was the drastic paradigm shift for a young coach with UM ties who was prominently covered during the coaching carousel
January 7th, 2020 at 10:39 PM ^
My son goes to Butler so have been watching their hoops team closely the last couple years. Lavall Jordan, first, is a fine human. 2nd, he is going to bring in the highest rated class in school history next year. While I think Juwan Howard is here for the long haul, Lavall Jordan would certainly be on my call list should that change.
January 7th, 2020 at 10:40 PM ^
He could be pretty good. I think a lot of coaches could do pretty well at Michigan.
Juwan has a chance to be one of the all time greats in college basketball. He could be a legend before he is done. He’s young and recruiting with the blue bloods. Watch out
January 8th, 2020 at 1:03 AM ^
Yep.
I would love for him to be our Coach K (re: win 5 National Championships) without the holier-than-thou shtick.
January 8th, 2020 at 11:07 AM ^
Or the raging a-hole schtick.
Juwan is a legitimately nice person. Coach K, not so much.
January 7th, 2020 at 10:51 PM ^
Jordan has been doing it much longer as HC, he’s having a great year tho
January 8th, 2020 at 6:25 AM ^
I’ve said this before, but if I’m a B10 school and have to hire a coach, I’d alway start by just looking at Butler. They haven’t had a miss in many hires over like 20 years. In fact, I’m pretty sure this is what Ohio State does whenever they need a coach.
January 8th, 2020 at 3:39 PM ^
Fact check: True. I just looked it up, and since 2000, Butler head coaches have left for:
Nebraska, OSU, Iowa, Boston Celtics, retired, OSU again, and now Lavall Jordan.
To your broader point - yes, the Butler head coach is a good idea for B10 schools, but Butler is in the Big East now and is getting more cache and exposure than they ever have had. I'm not so sure a Butler head coach necessarily will jump to a bottom-half B10 team. Better to stay at a good situation in a top basketball conference (now with UConn again) in a basketball crazy city.