The NCAA Basketball coaching carousel is set to begin following the end of conference tournaments. Which top coaches on the hot seat are in trouble?
The NCAA Basketball postseason is here with conference tournaments going on across the country and, while everyone is competing for a conference title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament, several coaches are playing for something more – their jobs.
Yes, it’s the start of the coaching carousel as several coaches who are on the hot seat know they need to win this week.
A number of them have already been fired or told they won’t be back next year. That is the case for Texas A&M’s Billy Kennedy, who has already been informed that he will be relieved of his duties after the SEC Tournament.
Plenty more coaches are sure to follow suit but we’re going to focus on four of the biggest names that are on the definitive hot seat right now. What does the future hold for Sean Miller, Shaka Smart, Danny Manning, and Pat Chambers? Let’s dive into it.
Sean Miller, Arizona
Buy or Sell: Buy
Many were surprised that Miller wasn’t fired last year after initially being linked to the FBI investigation into college basketball and an alleged payment to former Arizona big man DeAndre Ayton, but he found his way back for this season.
Now, it seems highly unlikely that he’ll be back for an 11th season in Tuscon.
He’s had to part with two assistants over the last two years – former assistant Emmanuel “Book” Richardson was one of the four coaches arrested by the FBI and Mark Phelps was fired due to an NCAA violation regarding Shareef O’Neal’s transcript (O’Neal is currently redshirting at UCLA).
Add in unexpected on-court struggles to Miller’s off-court mess (the Wildcats are 17-14 on the year and just 8-10 in the lowly Pac-12) and it’s becoming nearly impossible for the school to justify keeping him
In fact, the school’s Board of Regents has met on several occasions this year to discuss the future of the basketball program. That indicates a change of some kind is coming. Miller even seemed to acknowledge as such following Arizona’s home finale.
Is this goodbye? #SeanMiller addresses #McKaleCenter after season-finale loss to rival #ASUSunDevils. #APlayersProgram #Pac12Hoops pic.twitter.com/4Dq8AIMAwk
— David Kelly (@DavidKelly1290) March 10, 2019
Miller has a good record and has escaped this fire before but everything points to him being gone shortly after Arizona’s season is over.