Mike Woodson introduced as IU Mens Basketball Coach
By TYLER SMITH (@TylerSmith_ISL)
ISL Editor
BLOOMINGTON — It wasn’t the flashy hire that many people wanted, but the flashy hires don’t always work out. Despite his lack of college coaching experience, Mike Woodson is more than qualified and more than capable to lead the Indiana men’s basketball program. It could be a train-wreck. It could also be great. Whatever happens, Mike Woodson deserves a fair chance from the Hoosier faithful.
The negatives for Woodson: He’s never coached in college, he’s never recruited, and he’s 63 years old. Those are all very legit concerns.
The positives for Woodson: He is loved by players and has coached over 20 NBA All-Stars. His NBA experience will probably appeal to recruits. Another huge positive- Mike Woodson knows and loves the game. He also knows and loves this school- and that cannot be overlooked.
One objection I continue to see online- “He only had a .460 winning percentage as a head coach!” You can’t possibly count his first three years in Atlanta against him. Take out those first 3 years, and he had a .560 win percentage as a Head Coach. He also went 209-143 in his last five seasons, which is a .593 percentage. So please, put that argument to sleep. The Atlanta Hawks team he took over was the youngest in the history in the NBA, and what did Woodson do? He increased their win total in every season for six years, turning the 13-win Hawks into an eventual 53-win perennial playoff team. He also led the Knicks to 50-win seasons and playoff wins. Yes… the Knicks.
Mike Woodson had his introductory press conference on Monday. Here were some of the highlights-
-“Coach Bob Knight, who means so much to Indiana basketball- he took a chance on a kid out of Indianapolis to come here and play basketball. He taught me how to play. He taught me how to be a man. Indiana basketball will always be Bob Knight.”
-On lack of college coaching experience- “I’ve coached at the highest level. The NBA family is a beautiful thing. Yes, there will be some challenges. But coaching is coaching. I’m going to surround myself with people that will help me navigate. I’m not new to recruiting. We recruited a lot in the NBA.”
-On Thad Matta: “I’ve always watched Thad from afar. He’s had big success in the Big Ten. Great basketball mind. I’m grateful that he’s on board. We’ve got to put a staff together and we’ll work toward that in the next week or so.”
-On offense and defense: “When I look at college basketball, they’re taking things from the NBA. I think I can bring in a system where players are capable of playing three of four positions. When you build a defensive system where everybody is connected together and rebound the basketball as a unit, you put yourselves in positions to win basketball games. Offensively- the 3-ball has changed the game. We’ve got to recruit players that can shoot the ball.”
-On the current roster: “We’ve got some players that have entered the portal. My first job is to sit with each of them and try to get them to stay with Hoosier Nation. There’s no place in the country that is better to play basketball. I’m going to let them know I’m in their corner. I always have an open-door policy.”
Here were some of the reactions around basketball when Woodson was announced on Sunday:
Jared Jeffries- “I love it. Woody is a proven coach. He did an amazing job with our Knicks team. One of the nicest guys I’ve ever met. Most of all, understands our school more than anyone.”
Jamal Crawford- “I know how much players respect him and love playing for him. He knows how to coach and hold everybody accountable. He’s a straight shooter. But he also knows how to understand and I just loved playing for him.”
Isiah Thomas- “Monumental hire for the state of Indiana and Indiana University. You can’t buy the love and passion he has for our school and his home state”
Only time will tell if this was a good hire. But Hoosier Nation should get behind the trio of Dolson, Woodson, and Matta. Better days could be on the way.
