Here in the KY, there is tons of speculation about who will be the next head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats. Despite the fact that Billy Donovan has said he isn't leaving Florida, people here still have hopes that he's on his way. But a new name has gotten some buzz: Pat Riley.
Riley is currently the team president of the Miami Heat and is in his first year of his latest retirement. Buzz is that some folks in Lexington have seen Riles around town in the last couple of days. He was a star guard for the Wildcats during the mid-1960s and was on that team that lost to Texas Western in the 1966 NCAA Championship game.
Here is the only problems. Riley turned 64 last week and it is unclear how long he would want to coach. He's been burned out before and the grind of recruiting and all of that could wear on him. Also, he's an NBA guy that hasn't dealt with the college game (except for scouting) since leaving Kentucky as a player in 1967.
I don't see this happening, despite any rumors going around. I can see Kentucky going up I-75 and checking on Xavier's Sean Miller. Miller took over a budding program and as actually elevated it. The guy Miller took over for, Thad Matta, is currently leading Ohio State into greener pastures (by the way, Matta is a guy Kentucky fans like, too). Miller is a great coach and seems to be cool enough to deal with the pressures that the Kentucky job brings.
Riley is currently the team president of the Miami Heat and is in his first year of his latest retirement. Buzz is that some folks in Lexington have seen Riles around town in the last couple of days. He was a star guard for the Wildcats during the mid-1960s and was on that team that lost to Texas Western in the 1966 NCAA Championship game.
Here is the only problems. Riley turned 64 last week and it is unclear how long he would want to coach. He's been burned out before and the grind of recruiting and all of that could wear on him. Also, he's an NBA guy that hasn't dealt with the college game (except for scouting) since leaving Kentucky as a player in 1967.
I don't see this happening, despite any rumors going around. I can see Kentucky going up I-75 and checking on Xavier's Sean Miller. Miller took over a budding program and as actually elevated it. The guy Miller took over for, Thad Matta, is currently leading Ohio State into greener pastures (by the way, Matta is a guy Kentucky fans like, too). Miller is a great coach and seems to be cool enough to deal with the pressures that the Kentucky job brings.
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