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Less than a week on the job at Kansas State, and Bob Huggins is already being Bob Huggins. In other words, he's doing whatever it takes to win. Win at all costs? No, not quite that -- but close. Awfully, awfully close.
Huggins' staff composition already has one package deal in the makings -- hire a coach, get a player -- with the mother of all package deals in the works for one year from now.
It didn't take long for Bob Huggins' first questionable move. (AP)
It didn't take long for Bob Huggins' first questionable move. (AP)
As far as the NCAA is concerned, there's nothing illegal about the kind of package deal Huggins is blatantly pursuing by hiring Dalonte Hill away from Charlotte. Hill, a nondescript assistant for the 49ers, is joining Huggins' staff for one reason, and one reason only: Hill is tight with Michael Beasley, one of the top five players from the high school class of 2007.
How tight? Beasley is a 6-foot-9 small forward -- think Carmelo Anthony, only bigger -- who could play anywhere in America, and last year he committed to play for little ol' Charlotte.
That tight.
Beasley won't go to Charlotte now, of course. He'll go to Kansas State. Nothing has been announced, and nothing is official, but that's what the hiring of Dalonte Hill really means. It has nothing to do with Dalonte Hill. It has everything to do with Michael Beasley.
Worst of all? To get Beasley, Huggins stuck a metaphorical knife in Bobby Lutz's back.
Lutz is the coach at Charlotte, and when Huggins was run out of Cincinnati in August, Lutz was immediately rumored to be one of the candidates that Cincinnati would consider. Lutz took care of that in September when he attended a roast for Huggins in Cincinnati and took a shot at UC president Nancy Zimpher.
"America is a great country," Lutz said, "because if Nancy Zimpher can be president of the University of Cincinnati, anything is possible."
That was Lutz sticking up for Huggins at Huggins' lowest point. So how does Huggins repay Lutz? By hiring away Dalonte Hill, which means stealing -- yes, stealing -- Charlotte's most highly regarded recruit in program history, Michael Beasley. With Beasley in two years, Lutz has the kind of Atlantic 10 team George Washington had this season: dominant. But this isn't about Lutz. This is about Huggins.
A Kansas State spokesman told CBS SportsLine.com that Huggins was on the road recruiting, and unavailable for comment. Hill also was unavailable. Kansas State athletics director Tim Weiser was available, and while he didn't embrace the notion of a package deal (Hill and Beasley) he defended Huggins' right to hire his staff as he sees fit.
"We're always going to be concerned about perception, but it's the issue of perception vs. reality," Weiser said. "Every head coach I've hired (in every sport), I've allowed them to hire who they want as assistant coaches unless they have NCAA baggage. Unless there's NCAA violations or criminal history with an assistant coach, I allow my head coaches to make that hire."
Weiser went on to point out that "package deals" -- or the perception of them -- happen all over college basketball. Indeed, it happened last year at Kansas State, when Jim Wooldridge tried to hire at least two junior college coaches (who had recruits available) before hiring Detroit high school coach Ben Kelso ... and then signing Kelso's best player, Deilvez Yearby.
Down the road, Kansas has a history of (perceived) package deals -- from Larry Brown hiring Danny Manning's father in 1983 to Bill Self hiring Mario Chalmers' father last year.
Package deals happen. They're not illegal, though they should be. Here's why: A college coach cannot give a recruit $5 without being guilty of a recruiting violation. But a college coach can hire a staff member for $120,000, knowing full well that the staff member will help bring a blue-chip recruit? That's not illegal, but it's ugly as hell.
But Huggins isn't done. The same people who told CBS SportsLine.com about Huggins' pursuit of Dalonte Hill last week also confirm Huggins' next package deal -- and it's enormous.
Next year Huggins plans to hire Dwaine Barnes, probably as his director of basketball operations.
Who is Dwaine Barnes? He's the AAU coach and legal guardian of 6-4 point guard O.J. Mayo and 6-5 shooting guard Bill Walker of North College Hill (Ohio), two future NBA All-Stars who will spend one year on campus -- at Kansas State, once Huggins hires Barnes. Mayo is the best point guard prospect since Jason Kidd. Walker is a Vince Carter-like athlete.
In two years, Kansas State could have a starting lineup of 7-2 Jason Bennett at center, Beasley and 6-9 Herb Pope at forward, with Mayo and Walker at guard. Five years from now, that lineup could win in the NBA.
Huggins is no joke. He didn't go to Kansas State to win a little. He went there to win big, and if he can stay out of trouble, he'll do just that. His hiring was controversial, but at his introductory news conference Huggins defended himself with his misleadingly soft voice.
"I don't think I'm a bad guy," Huggins told the Kansas City Star. "If you go and talk to people who know me, you won't find anybody who says bad things."
Really? Anyone got Bobby Lutz's number?
Less than a week on the job at Kansas State, and Bob Huggins is already being Bob Huggins. In other words, he's doing whatever it takes to win. Win at all costs? No, not quite that -- but close. Awfully, awfully close.
Huggins' staff composition already has one package deal in the makings -- hire a coach, get a player -- with the mother of all package deals in the works for one year from now.
It didn't take long for Bob Huggins' first questionable move. (AP)
It didn't take long for Bob Huggins' first questionable move. (AP)
As far as the NCAA is concerned, there's nothing illegal about the kind of package deal Huggins is blatantly pursuing by hiring Dalonte Hill away from Charlotte. Hill, a nondescript assistant for the 49ers, is joining Huggins' staff for one reason, and one reason only: Hill is tight with Michael Beasley, one of the top five players from the high school class of 2007.
How tight? Beasley is a 6-foot-9 small forward -- think Carmelo Anthony, only bigger -- who could play anywhere in America, and last year he committed to play for little ol' Charlotte.
That tight.
Beasley won't go to Charlotte now, of course. He'll go to Kansas State. Nothing has been announced, and nothing is official, but that's what the hiring of Dalonte Hill really means. It has nothing to do with Dalonte Hill. It has everything to do with Michael Beasley.
Worst of all? To get Beasley, Huggins stuck a metaphorical knife in Bobby Lutz's back.
Lutz is the coach at Charlotte, and when Huggins was run out of Cincinnati in August, Lutz was immediately rumored to be one of the candidates that Cincinnati would consider. Lutz took care of that in September when he attended a roast for Huggins in Cincinnati and took a shot at UC president Nancy Zimpher.
"America is a great country," Lutz said, "because if Nancy Zimpher can be president of the University of Cincinnati, anything is possible."
That was Lutz sticking up for Huggins at Huggins' lowest point. So how does Huggins repay Lutz? By hiring away Dalonte Hill, which means stealing -- yes, stealing -- Charlotte's most highly regarded recruit in program history, Michael Beasley. With Beasley in two years, Lutz has the kind of Atlantic 10 team George Washington had this season: dominant. But this isn't about Lutz. This is about Huggins.
A Kansas State spokesman told CBS SportsLine.com that Huggins was on the road recruiting, and unavailable for comment. Hill also was unavailable. Kansas State athletics director Tim Weiser was available, and while he didn't embrace the notion of a package deal (Hill and Beasley) he defended Huggins' right to hire his staff as he sees fit.
"We're always going to be concerned about perception, but it's the issue of perception vs. reality," Weiser said. "Every head coach I've hired (in every sport), I've allowed them to hire who they want as assistant coaches unless they have NCAA baggage. Unless there's NCAA violations or criminal history with an assistant coach, I allow my head coaches to make that hire."
Weiser went on to point out that "package deals" -- or the perception of them -- happen all over college basketball. Indeed, it happened last year at Kansas State, when Jim Wooldridge tried to hire at least two junior college coaches (who had recruits available) before hiring Detroit high school coach Ben Kelso ... and then signing Kelso's best player, Deilvez Yearby.
Down the road, Kansas has a history of (perceived) package deals -- from Larry Brown hiring Danny Manning's father in 1983 to Bill Self hiring Mario Chalmers' father last year.
Package deals happen. They're not illegal, though they should be. Here's why: A college coach cannot give a recruit $5 without being guilty of a recruiting violation. But a college coach can hire a staff member for $120,000, knowing full well that the staff member will help bring a blue-chip recruit? That's not illegal, but it's ugly as hell.
But Huggins isn't done. The same people who told CBS SportsLine.com about Huggins' pursuit of Dalonte Hill last week also confirm Huggins' next package deal -- and it's enormous.
Next year Huggins plans to hire Dwaine Barnes, probably as his director of basketball operations.
Who is Dwaine Barnes? He's the AAU coach and legal guardian of 6-4 point guard O.J. Mayo and 6-5 shooting guard Bill Walker of North College Hill (Ohio), two future NBA All-Stars who will spend one year on campus -- at Kansas State, once Huggins hires Barnes. Mayo is the best point guard prospect since Jason Kidd. Walker is a Vince Carter-like athlete.
In two years, Kansas State could have a starting lineup of 7-2 Jason Bennett at center, Beasley and 6-9 Herb Pope at forward, with Mayo and Walker at guard. Five years from now, that lineup could win in the NBA.
Huggins is no joke. He didn't go to Kansas State to win a little. He went there to win big, and if he can stay out of trouble, he'll do just that. His hiring was controversial, but at his introductory news conference Huggins defended himself with his misleadingly soft voice.
"I don't think I'm a bad guy," Huggins told the Kansas City Star. "If you go and talk to people who know me, you won't find anybody who says bad things."
Really? Anyone got Bobby Lutz's number?