The thing about hoops is that it doesn't take much to turn things around.  One or two players can make a world of difference.  Remember Calipari when he was at UMass.  He got the local kid from Allderdice, Collins I think, and one other guy and that led to him getting Camby - although the cash in Camby's pocket didn't hurt either.  I also know the portal changes everything and years ago coaches didn't have to worry about it as guys were less inclined to want to sit out a year.  For a school like Duquesne the portal should be viewed as a favorable opportunity to get established players.  As I look around the league, and even in lesser conferences, I see teams getting a higher quality of player out of the portal than we have.  I do like Tre and Easley, but honestly Tre would maybe be a starting 4 on any of the top 6 A-10 teams, and more likely an off the bench guy given the athleticism and quickness factor.  Easley would most likely come off the bench.  Ayers has unfortunately has regressed so I don't even know where he would fit on a top 6 A-10 team.  The other thing about the portal is that it causes you to assess whether recruiting under the radar type of HS players who develop is worth it as the player can then say I want to play at a higher level.   You can still take a chance on a HS player if you really know the character and commitment of that player to your school and your coaching staff.  As I said on another post the bottom line is that there was poor roster planning and management over the last 2 years, and to many missed evaluations of recruits that we did get - portal or otherwise.  I doubt that KD will be fired, and I too believe you should be able to find a go-getter assistant with what we can offer (and we can and should offer more by the way), but as I previously said some shake-up of his staff should be mandated by Harper.
Finally, can someone verify whether or not both of these 2 guys who committed for next year actually signed LOI's.  If they did then contrary to what Harper said we are still recruiting in the bargain basement  as it relates to those 2, although I like the 2 big guys we are going after.

CLK wrote:

A83 clearly you are "the smartest guy in the room" as someone else has said.  I was just wondering if you could send a private message with your picks for this week's power ball numbers.  

Definitely not the smartest in the room.  I just had a feeling we were being sold a bill of goods with the talent departure of last year and who we were competing for the recruits with this year.  The fawning over Davis Larson made me finally say 6 wins.

As far as lotto goes I have been playing the same Cash 5 numbers every day for 15 years.  And I hit 4 of 5 numbers once. 

I think DU81 said at the time of Dambrot hiring, that this was Duquesne’s last chance to be successful at basketball.  And it definitely feels like it.  I’m honestly with the others.  This program is finall dead.

KD got the Dukes to a 21-9/11-7 which was good enough for a tie for 5th place in the A-10 in 2019/2020 season.  And that was after improvement for 3 consecutive years.  Very impressive and well on his way to what he was hired to do.  But he did this behind the strength of players who had been in his system for awhile and were comfortable playing it.  I believe KD COULD be successful in the A-10 if the structure of college basketball had not changed.  But it has.  KD's system is apparently not conducive to being learned and executed quickly.  Furthermore, it's clear he rubs players the wrong way.  Those 2 factors make it almost impossible to be successful in today's game.  The time has come for KD to move on as he's shown he is unwilling to adapt his personality or game strategy to fit into the quickly evolving world of college basketball.

Styles1229 wrote:

As far as DU basketball being "dead?"   I'd say, as much as I enjoy the A-10 and seeing the talent come through year in and year out, I'd rather see DU basketball "alive" and well in a smaller conference where it competes regularly for a championship.  

I first heard that the DU basketball program was "dead" by Dick Stockton of KDKA TV in 1970. Naturally, I was offended. We then proceeded to win 15 in a row and went to the NCAA.

That said, I think going to a less competitive conference needs to be considered. It's not going to get any easier when Loyola of Chicago joins. And we can take Fordham, LaSalle, St. Joseph's, etc., with us.  As a bonus, we can watch some other teams try to avoid tournament play-in games. Let them see what it's like.
 

I see our only chance as we must find that up and coming young coach that will turn this around then leave to a bigger program.  It has to be a young coach that serves as a magnet to the young players of today; what other way can we stop the continuous transfer portal entries and increase recruiting?  We can't sign a big name coach, who would want the job anyways?  Last coaching search all Duquesne received were coaches turning down the job then Dambrot shockingly was coming to town.  Talking to Dambrot a few months after he was hired he mentioned that this contract probably is his last because he'll be roughly 65 when it ends.  Now here we are nearly at the end of his original deal, his father has passed away whom he hoped to turn the Dukes into a winner for and this season has been a fiasco.  I know finding that special young coach is not easy but we may have to reach for someone a bit early that is not well known but would not reject the offer and is confident in their abilities.  I wish we had someone like that now; my nephew lives in Indiana and is scoring 20-30 points a game as a freshman at a high school known for basketball and also in which freshman usually don't touch the court.  I'd love to see my nephew on the Dukes and I think a young driven coach would be more enticing to him.

Am I mistaken or doesn't KD have a 7 year deal?

As an institution, DU certainly has the money to both buyout the current coaching staff's salaries for the guaranteed remaining years & pony up for the $2.2-2.7 million per year that it would take to get the best possible coaching staff that would agree to take over. At that price point, there would truly be a great list of candidates from which to choose because, combined with the recent improvements to the physical plant, this kind of outlay for coaching salaries demonstrates a true, long-term commitment to a successful A-10 program.

The head coach would not get all of this loot. Serious money would need to be paid to at least one killer recruiter assistant coach while the staff size would need to stay at its current size in order to make the new coach feel he is staying competitive with conference competitors. The head coach would need to start at $1.5 million with serious incentives for goals accomplished.

The question is, do the highest ranking leaders of the university believe that a favorable ROI in both financial & university PR/prestige terms is a very likely outcome of making such a financial commitment. If there was ever a time to make such a bold move, while the COOP is still shiny & new is it.

Also, it has now become incredibly unlikely that next season KD will realize even the modest success he had in 19-20 with all or most of the current roster returning & a decent-to-good recruiting class for next season. This circumstance, for me, is the most obvious reason that KD should be sent packing at the end of the season if the school has a serious commitment to having a top-flight, A-10 men's basketball program. If a coach is hitting his rock bottom in the 5th year of a 7 year contract, there is almost no circumstance under which he is going to get things turned around with 2 more chances.

I would feel somewhat differently if:
1. KD hadn't personally hyped this team as likely his best at Duquesne
2. KD hadn't personally hyped Larsen as one of the best players on the team
3. KD had the judgement/humility/honesty to admit before the season or after the first month of the season that this was going to be a serious rebuilding year 

These 3 items have me convinced that either he has lost whatever it takes to be a good coach at this level or he has no problem telling giant, obvious lies publicly to save his hide. Either way, those are 2 things that great leaders can rarely get away with.

Last edited by phil95 (2/07/2022 11:41 pm)

CityDuke wrote:

So let me get this straight….we should fire our coach for trying to feed his team confidence and for not telling us sooner that this was a rebuilding year? Coaches oftentimes use pressers to speak directly to their teams. I am not sure if this is one of KD’s methodologies, but in any case, his candor in every interview suggests that what he says to his teams doesn’t differ much from what he says to the press.

Even the best teams across the country have rebuilding years in which they struggle. It’s crazy to think that we would be above that with a team that is ranked 354th in experience.

I don't disagree with this post on the surface.  I also am less put off by KD's statements to press than others on this board BUT if KD sees this as a rebuilding year, as you say, why is he giving significant minutes to Bekelja and Larson over Acuff and Hima?  Those are the guys that need the PT to get better.  And whose confidence is he building by saying Larson is the best on the team? Larson's?  He's a grown man who will not be around when the team is built.  KD has a 6'11'' sophomore (?) in Hima who he consistently sits on the bench while playing a a grad assistant who is clearly out of his league.  That is not building for the future.  And Bekelja over Acuff?  How is Acuff going to get any better or gain any confidence watching Bekelja play?  The message he is sending these guys is that he doesn't think they are worthy of PT and the only result of this will be that they are that much less ready to contribute once the team is "built."

Maybe KD doesn't think HIMA and Acuff are part of the long term plan for this team but I still think if you are rebuilding you at least play them to confirm your doubts.  You know what you have in Larson and Bekelja don't you?

Okay… so if this is a rebuilding year, and I’m not saying it isn’t, it is because Dambrot couldn’t keep a number of players who are all starting and doing well for other teams.

Also, this is his fifth year never getting us to a post season tournament and unless a miracle group of seniors transfer here, and not a 5 ft 6 in Guard he is recruiting…then he has still failed thus far and probably will next year. Hey, Ferry could have continued here and not get us to a tournament either.

Guys, you all raise some good points, but the reality for me is that neither Larson or Bekelja are DI/A-10 level players so why are they seeing the Court at all?  Remember who built this roster in the first place.  If, as noted, we are really rebuilding admittingly or not, then there is NO excuse for Hima getting minimal minutes.  And Acuff, who shot 3-5 from the 3 I think on Saturday should be taking minutes away from Ayers who has regressed.  Phil95 the list of things you mention hits the nail on the head and some of KD's comments out of the gate are simply mindboggling and have only added to everyone's frustration.  Fam you have seen my comments regarding the two commits that KD has apparently offered - especially the 5'7" PG that no one else really offered.  He may be a great kid and this is not a personal attack, but c'mon already.  This again goes to our level of recruiting and retention and Harper or Dr. G need to step in after this year 5 debacle.  I still remember all the students at the first game, the good crowd and the excitement.  KD and his staff have simply taken the best opportunity for success this program has had in decades and crapped all over it, period.  Pistol out. 

Wait til next year!!!