In reply to: When MM retires there could be a great group to draw posted by Tim Kelley
Imo. I love Niele but I don't see being an asst. coach in the NBA as boosting her resume for the ND head coach position. Of course I don't consider the NBA to be basketball anymore either, can't stand it. Taking a head coaching position in WCBB would have prepared her better to return in that capacity. But I guess going to the NBA is the "cool" thing to do.
"In a Notre Dame news release announcing Ivey's departure, McGraw said, "This is going to be a great learning experience for Niele and hopefully one day she can take all that she’s learned and bring it back to our program."
McGraw said in an interview with Sports 56 WHBQ that NBA coaching experience would put Ivey "in even better position" to land the head coaching job at Notre Dame when McGraw, 63, retires.
"You're going to pick up so many things," McGraw said. "I think it's really preparing her for the future.""
Or she may be supporting Niele's decision. I would like to hear the argument that an asst. coaching position in the NBA prepares her better than a head coaching job in WCBB somewhere. Like I said, I love Niele and was hoping she would be the next coach, I'm just not sure this move makes her more qualified for it. As I said, I'm not a fan of the NBA so my opinion is influenced by that as well.
Just pointing out Muffet seemed to make it clear that she thought this was great experience for Niele and would help if she were to return to ND when MM retired. I doubt Niele would be returning as an assistant. And I know Muffet won’t be the person hiring, but I’m sure her opinion will count. Sure sounded like she was saying Niele was the heir apparent.
1. She gets to work with the very top talent...her players against other top talent. Learning to deal with that could make her a better college coach.
2. Similar, but different from CFB, being a college head coach who as coached in the WNBA could be attractive to recruits who (probably most of them) want to be developed to enhance heir path to the WNBA.
But the NBA is a different story. As for coaching NBA players.. I don't see coaching a bunch of over-hyped millionaires preparing one to coach WCBB.