Tulane has landed a really, really good basketball coach! It is former NBA coach of the year Mike Dunleavy, Sr. Hopefully this will be a harbinger of a turn-around of the program and hopefully of athletics in general. The school has needed to do something along these lines for a long time. According to the Tulane Athletics website, among other qualifications, Dunleavy is a A 17-year veteran as an NBA head coach, winning 613 regular season games, the 24th-most in NBA history, with four different teams (Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Portland Trailblazers, Los Angeles Clippers) and amassed 38 playoff victories in his career. New Athletic Director Troy Dannen has emphasized that a losing program is not acceptable and that Tulane needs to adequately resource its programs to compete effectively. With this hire, he has certainly made good on that stance. (It is also hoped that new football coach Willie Fritz can turn around that program, and he has a stellar record in that regard, recognizing that his national profile is not that of Dunleavy’s.)
While academics are the major concern of the people who visit this site, a number of people do ask about athletics, attendance at basketball and football and, relatedly, school spirit, so it is worth a mention here.
Oh, definitely worth bringing up. I am cautiously excited about the hire. I think he is a good man, a good coach, and he has a good story to tell not only with his connection to the NBA, but he has 3 sons in basketball. One plays for the Chicago Bulls, one is an assistant coach on the Villanova team that just made the Final Four, and the third is a sports agent. My only reservation is that he has never had to recruit high school kids. Hopefully he has a talent for it that has been heretofore untapped.
I don’t think he’ll have to do much recruiting,lol. I can’t imagine the athletes that may look at Tulane as an option now that may not have previously, just for the chance to play for Dunleavy. I’m sure he will hire assistants to help with recruiting as well. . This is very exciting for Tulane!
I am not trying to be the wet blanket here, because I do think it is a good hire overall, but it does have more risk than it seems at first. Relating to kids in this way is not a given, and it takes the head coach to land the top prospects. (I do wonder if his son at Villanova will joining him.) I know it is football. but there have been numerous stories lately about how Jim Harbaugh of Michigan slept over at one recruits house and climbed a tree with another. And a couple of stories about Nick Sabain of Alabama that were similar. And they have to sign a couple dozen kids every year, not just 2-5. I don’t know how many you have to recruit to get to those numbers.
Plus coaching college kids is very different than coaching the pros, although admittedly most of the problems there go the other way, college coaches not being able to handle the pros. As long as Mike is clear with his expectations, which I am sure he will be, I don’t think he will have any issues there.
It is very exciting for Tulane, and I also think it will work out well in the end. But it does have these interesting unknowns involved, and we are in the same conference as Connecticut, a traditional power, along with some very proven coaches at Houston, Memphis and Temple. Which makes it all the more exciting if Mike is successful, because if we can be competitive with those teams, our chances for an NCAA bid on a more regular basis will have improved dramatically.
My son is VERY excited about this hire! His work study gig is with the Athletic Department and he works all of the sporting events. I’ve even been able to see him on ESPN during Football and Basketball games! Tulane had a decent season this year, despite their not so great coach. I hope that this is the beginning of some great seasons for Tulane Hoops!
You always have to worried about recruiting. Always have but in this day and age of HS athletes and the attentions do showered on them, it’s more important than ever. Yes, assistants are part of the deal.
I doubt Tulane will ever be good in football but I’m glad the games aren’t in the Superdome anymore. May help with attendance and atmosphere as a parent whose D is considering Tulane.