The Kentucky basketball head-coaching search seemed like it was going to end. However, Scott Drew shut down all those rumors once and for all and decided to stay at Baylor after a wild turn of events over the past 48 hours. Now Kentucky is searching for what's next.
Jay Wright and Nate Oats already said no to having an interest in the job, and all signs pointed to Drew going to Lexington. So the top options are off the board for the Kentucky basketball program after John Calipari's stunning move to Arkansas.
UConn coach Dan Hurley also was reportedly an option, but he made it clear he has no desire to leave the Huskies, especially after back-to-back national titles. And, now he is expected to receive a pay raise to stay at UConn.
Where does Kentucky turn to now? Here are some options for the Wildcats after swinging and missing on Scott Drew.
Billy Donovan, Chicago Bulls
Yes, Billy Donovan spoke about the Kentucky job. But he didn't actually say no to it yet. Here's what Donovan said: “I have not been contacted by anybody. My total commitment and focus is here to this team and to this group.”
So there could be contact coming soon, especially after the latest turn of events. The NBA regular season ends on Sunday, April 14.
The Chicago Bulls are holding on to a spot in the Play-In Tournament, and an early exit could send Donovan thinking about a return to college. He went 467–186 during his time at Florida with back-to-back national championships and a large amount of NCAA Tournament appearances.
On the other hand, would Donovan want to return to college? The recruiting cycle and NIL world have changed the sport considerably, so there is a large possibility of Donovan not having any interest in leaving the NBA to return to the college ranks. Then again, Kentucky basketball is a pinnacle job in the sport. Regardless, athletic director Mitch Barnhart has to at least make a call.
Bruce Pearl, Auburn
This is a name that has circulated some but not a ton. Why would Pearl leave Auburn, a team that has made the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three seasons?
Well, Kentucky is a blue-blood job without a doubt, and Pearl would work wonders in Lexington. Pearl has a 214–119 record at Auburn after a 145–61 run at Tennessee, which included two Sweet 16 finishes and an Elite Eight appearance.
There is no question Kentucky is a giant step up from Auburn basketball-wise, so if Pearl gets the call, he would have to consider it.
Mark Pope, BYU
Here is the guy with a great opportunity. Mark Pope is the current head coach at BYU and just took the Cougars to another NCAA Tournament trip. He spent four seasons as the Utah Valley head coach before coming to BYU.
Since taking over as the Cougars' head coach, he has a 110–52 record with two March Madness trips. Pope is a former NBA player and, the biggest reason of them all, he is a Kentucky alum.
He began his career at Washington before transferring to Kentucky, so getting to coach his alma mater would be a huge opportunity for him. It might be an under-the-radar hire for such a talented program, but Kentucky doesn't have a ton of options remaining.
Tommy Lloyd, Arizona
This one is a long shot for many reasons. But the biggest issue of all might be Tommy Lloyd's failure to perform in March Madness. Arizona lost to 15-seed Princeton a year ago, then fell in the Sweet 16 during Lloyd's other years at Arizona despite being the higher seed both times.
This year, it was Arizona falling to Clemson despite the Wildcats being a 2-seed. Lloyd has promised Arizona will have their “day in the sun” sometime soon, but if he keeps falling early in March Madness, it might not happen.
Still, Lloyd has an impressive 88–20 record in three seasons in Tucson, so there is a lot to love about him coming to Lexington. On the other hand, Calipari not getting to the Sweet 16 in the last three March Madness runs is a reason why Kentucky fans wanted a different face.
Sleeper Candidate: Rick Pitino
Would Kentucky go full circle and hire Rick Pitino again? The current St. John's head coach has had quite the whirlwind of events over the past couple of decades. He was the Kentucky basketball head coach from 1989 to 1997 before taking the head-coaching job with the Boston Celtics. He then spent time at Louisville from 2001 until 2017.
Since his Louisville days, Pitino was in Greece and then at Iona before getting bumped up to the St. John's gig. So does Kentucky make the call and offer Pitino a large amount of cash? Hiring him again would bring excitement to the fan base, and his recent comments surely are something to consider.
“If I had a choice to bring back time, I probably would have stayed at Kentucky.” – Rick Pitino on Pardon My Take
Big Blue Nation go get your guy back.#CollegeBasketball #BBN
— Noah Bieniek (@NoahB77_) April 8, 2024
Hiring Rick Pitino would be a bold move for Kentucky, but it's again a name they might need to consider after the way everything has gone down.
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