I'm not a huge NBA guy, but why did he ever get fired from Denver? He was less than two years off a championship and had a playoff team.
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Him and the GM had a very toxic relationship that clearly spilled into the locker room last year.
The issue stemmed from Malone wanting to sign and play vets, and Booth, the GM, wanted Malone to play and develop the younger players.
My gut says it won't work—yeah, players are being paid, but that's about the only way in which a professional sports franchise and a college program are exactly the same. But my gut also says he only took the job on the condition that they'll pour an eye-watering amount of money into making the program resemble an NBA front office and franchise in every conceivable way
Apparently the Nuggets were a split team and dysfunctional. He is a hard nose type coach and a lot of the pro players didn't like how he coached them like college players. We shall see how he does at UNC. He is a good X and O type coach for sure. Not sure he is in tune with players though.
I get it. When you had such success in football doing the same thing, you have to double down with your most important property.
I assume Jokic is in the portal to follow him?
I assume Jokic is in the portal to follow him?
I actually think Malone will probably do really well there. His style is probably better suited for college honestly, where players aren't with him for 5+ years. Think he'd eventually just worn out the relationships with players/front office in Denver and guys just aren't around long enough in college for that to happen.
Obviously they'll also pour a god awful amount of money into building an incredibly talented roster too.
Also, nothing like the Belichick deal. Malone is 20 years younger than Bill.
Obviously they'll also pour a god awful amount of money into building an incredibly talented roster too.
Also, nothing like the Belichick deal. Malone is 20 years younger than Bill.
I would say it's far from a home run hire. I think it possibly could be a great hire or a horrible hire. I don't think with Malone there is an in between
I think he is hard-nosed, but I don’t think players disliked him. The toxicity was between Malone and the front office.
The Kroenkes preferred to just clean house rather than pick a side, since the Nuggets were underachieving as a whole.
To add on to that crazy he didn't get another gig. I think he'd been better choice for Knicks than Mike Brown
Ok it sounds like his daughter is on the volleyball team, so that is where the connection is.
Malone’s family is extremely important to him. His last season with the Nuggets he missed at least one regular season game to go watch her play volleyball, which started to kick up the hornet’s nest with the local media.
Malone’s family is extremely important to him. His last season with the Nuggets he missed at least one regular season game to go watch her play volleyball, which started to kick up the hornet’s nest with the local media.
Heard on the radio that all the euro's on Illinois roster have the same agent as Jokic. Mallone and Jokic still have a good relationship!
Agreed on this he has almost no experience recruiting and his best time in the NBA was with the best player on the planet. That same player that wasn’t sad to see him depart.
No real ties to the university and when no other NBA team wants a championship winning coach that’s a really bad sign. Hell the NBA loves hiring doc rivers over and over just to fail based on one championship
Depends on how it’s sold and how far away from success it really is. Getting showing all the trophies and moments in a blue bloods history is pretty impressive but if it’s all from decades ago (UCLA) it doesn’t hold nearly as much clout.
The other huge thing is the professional network that still associates with the school. Players getting to meet some current and former legends in the sport can go a long way and those words carry a ton of weight.
