Mark Schmidt announced his retirement as head coach of the St. Bonaventure Bonnies on Saturday after serving that role since 2007. Not long after the announcement was made, NBA Insider turned general manager Adrian Wojnarowski shared his reaction to the news.
Wojnarowski, who left his Insider job with ESPN in 2024 for the general manager role at St. Bonaventure's basketball team, claimed that Schmidt is the best coach in the program's history. He also thanked the 63-year-old former head coach for his time with the Bonnies.
“The greatest to ever do it at St. Bonaventure,” said Wojnarowski. “Thank you, Coach Schmidt!”
Schmidt retires from St. Bonaventure with a career 339-253 record with the program. He made three appearances in the NCAA Tournament throughout his career. The Bonnies also won two Atlantic 10 Conference championships (2012, 2021) during his tenure. Adrian Wojnarowski will have to find Mark Schmidt's replacement this coming offseason.
It will be interesting to see what Adrian Wojnarowski can do for his Alma Mater. There is speculation that St. Bonaventure will focus on spending less money for a coach and more on player acquisition, according to Dan Wetzel of ESPN. The trend for smaller programs is to prioritize gaining the attention of players instead of coaches, as there are a plethora of talented coaches available.
“Mark did a great job at St. Bonaventure for many, many years. The new trend for schools like Bonaventure is going to be less money spent on coaches, charter flights, and facilities, etc., and more spent on players. The sport has changed. The priorities are following.
“The pool of really good coaches is greater than the jobs available. Schools can save there. The pool of really good players is not limitless. Schools should spend their. No one can win without talent. Recruiting ties matter less. Money, system, playing time matter more.”
