(Quick note: there will be some things in this dynasty that require a leap of faith or overlooking small incongruities, mainly around what year it really is. I know that, but I think this will be fun. It’s my first one, and I’m excited)
The Backstory
After spending 10 years rapidly rising through the college coaching ranks, Coach J finally won his national title; and it felt great. After making the tourney so many times, but falling short over and over, he had his championship. This was his 5th year in charge of the Badgers, and this was easily most talented team, but it was one that was built off of the successes and learnings of previous teams. In his second year, his twin towers were seniors, but his starting guards were both sharpshooting freshman that couldn’t quite handle the heat of the tourney, getting knocked out in the Elite 8. There was redemption however; it was those two guards (now seniors) and some new big men that cut down the nets this past season.
By teaching these young men to be leaders, they had stepped up and guided the team to a 37-4 record this past season and the Badgers were looking to be among the favorites the next year as well. Coach J’s brand of basketball, branded “Trees & Threes,” was very difficult to stop, and Senior PF Eto Ruffin looked poised to dominate all of his opponents this next season.
However, he’d have to do it without Coach J.
Coach J's lone championship trophy.
It was late in the summer and Coach J was putting the last touches on his Basketball History elective. Half the class was student athletes wanting to take an easy class, but he enjoyed teaching it. As he was reviewing his work on Red Auerbach and the Celtics, his phone rang. “This is Coach J speaking.”
It was the owner of the Hornets. Coach couldn’t believe what he was hearing. They were asking him to take over as the head coach and director of player development. They’d been following him for several years and loved how young players responded to him, grew into NBA-ready talents, and his “Trees and Threes” approach could thrive with this young Hornets roster. The Hornets previous coach and some of his staff were dismissed in mid-August for actions that were unethical, sometimes immoral, and embarrassing to the organization. The owner and his closest advisors were scrambling to find a replacement. The future was bright, but they needed someone who could nurture the team and bring them to their full potential and they were looking to get away from the old boys club that was previously running the team.
Alonzo Mourning, Larry Johnson, and Kendall Gill were all 24 and younger, great at defense, and played with power. The team was lacking a little bit in the way of “Threes” however, with Dell Curry being the only real deep threat. Was this what Coach J wanted to do? He was likely on the verge of starting a series of title runs that hadn’t been seen for decades. There was talk of him getting a lifetime contract from Wisconsin. This was a tough, and nerve-wracking decision…and he had 48 hours to make up his mind.
Picture of Coach J from the 2015 Wisconsin Media Guide
He had decided to move his family to Charlotte. The East Coast was a new adventure. He was an Iowa boy and he had coached at Illinois, Idaho, and Wisconsin. He’d also be leaving behind some players and relationships he valued. The Badgers’ three NBA ready starters took it the hardest.
- Senior PF and Captain Eto Ruffin couldn’t believe it. He had such a close relationship with Coach J, who had helped mold him into a responsible man. Someone who now took care of his young boy and girlfriend instead of trying to abandon them for a flashier life.
- Connecticut’s 2014 Mr. Basketball, Mamadou Banjo, had always clashed with assistant coach Clive Benjamin. Could he really get through this year playing for him?
- Superstar Junior Jerret Carmichael began wondering aloud if he had made the right decision to stay another year. He was touted as a lottery pick last year, and his well-rounded game and good stroke could have thrived on the right team.
It was definitely far from ideal, and he’d be watching those guys from afar, but he had an exciting new opportunity.
Alonzo Mourning wasn’t as tall as his centers normally were, but he was probably more tenacious and talented than any big man Coach J had been around. He needs some seasoning, but his defensive instincts were top notch, and he wasn’t afraid to play with speed and power.
Larry Johnson was also a bit shorter than Coach J was used to, but his strength and mean streak more than made up for it. Larry reminded coach a bit of Charles Barkley, who played above his height and had both an inside and outside game. If Larry could start hitting threes, he could be a really valuable stretch 4, creating a lot of mismatches.
Coach wasn’t quite sure what he had with Kendall Gill or Muggsy Bogues. They had been around the league a bit longer and were well-rounded, but Coach J wanted to see how they’d fit in. Muggsy was so small and wasn’t a great shooter, and Gill was also a bit short for a Small Forward and didn’t shoot well enough to be a 2-guard in a Trees & Threes system. It doesn’t mean that couldn’t be valuable, but there were already hard problems to solve. The only thing Coach J knew for sure was that he was going to lean heavily on Dell Curry. He was a leader of men and a very reliable shooter. He may not be flashy, but that’s the kind of guy every team needs.
Comment