I just looked at IU basketball since IU fired coach Knight:
4 seasons IU has finished with single digit losses! 4!!!
10 seasons IU has finished in the top 5 of the conference! 10!
Our basketball issues run much deeper than coaching - there has been a terrible run of bad hires, mismanagement, failed leadership. Just unreal how IU took a complete nose dive after RMK.
I just looked at IU basketball since IU fired coach Knight:
4 seasons IU has finished with single digit losses! 4!!!
10 seasons IU has finished in the top 5 of the conference! 10!
Our basketball issues run much deeper than coaching - there has been a terrible run of bad hires, mismanagement, failed leadership. Just unreal how IU took a complete nose dive after RMK stopped recruiting and giving a shit, i.e. 1994.
FIFY
@ge-off I think it's good to be in wait-and-see mode with DeVries. He started this year with an entirely new roster. According to ChatGPT, IU is right there at the top of the Big Ten with NIL money with Michigan. There is a clear path for IU to be a top program again - hopefully we see that play out in year 2/3 for DeVries.
NIL money could/should put IU back in the category of competing with the Dukes, Kansases and other blue bloods for top players.
I just looked at IU basketball since IU fired coach Knight:
4 seasons IU has finished with single digit losses! 4!!!
10 seasons IU has finished in the top 5 of the conference! 10!
Our basketball issues run much deeper than coaching - there has been a terrible run of bad hires, mismanagement, failed leadership. Just unreal how IU took a complete nose dive after RMK stopped recruiting and giving a shit, i.e. 1994.
FIFY
I don't think Coach Knight gave up around 1994. He was still getting top players - they just turned out to be not right for the program. He had some really good teams in the 1990s. And Mike Davis took a team full of Knight's recruits to the national championship in 2002.
I just looked at IU basketball since IU fired coach Knight:
4 seasons IU has finished with single digit losses! 4!!!
10 seasons IU has finished in the top 5 of the conference! 10!
Our basketball issues run much deeper than coaching - there has been a terrible run of bad hires, mismanagement, failed leadership. Just unreal how IU took a complete nose dive after RMK stopped recruiting and giving a shit, i.e. 1994.
FIFY
I don't think Coach Knight gave up around 1994. He was still getting top players - they just turned out to be not right for the program. He had some really good teams in the 1990s. And Mike Davis took a team full of Knight's recruits to the national championship in 2002.
Oh, he definitely got reengaged just before he got canned.
Part of recruiting is understanding whether the player can fit in your program and in Knight's case, that meant dealing with his temperament. Since he had checked out and was busy fishing and hunting, we brought in players that were talented enough, but not resilient enough.
@ge-off I think it's good to be in wait-and-see mode with DeVries. He started this year with an entirely new roster. According to ChatGPT, IU is right there at the top of the Big Ten with NIL money with Michigan. There is a clear path for IU to be a top program again - hopefully we see that play out in year 2/3 for DeVries.
NIL money could/should put IU back in the category of competing with the Dukes, Kansases and other blue bloods for top players.
Our NIL is nothing special anymore. We spent 10 million last year and 20+ other programs did as well
@surjay IU has the capacity to be a top 5 NIL type program, if everyone decides they want to do it. Football has changed IU athletics for the foreseeable future. Obviously it might be that any and all increased capacity goes to the football program, and not basketball. And it'd be hard to argue with someone that wanted all their money going straight to Cignetti's efforts, right now. But the reality is, basketball is going to get some of that money, and the scale is so big, that even a small little scrap of the new football driven money, will make a big impact on the basketball team. And unlike schools like Texas, Ohio State, Alabama, etc... IU has a very, very deep and rooted history in basketball. As much as it feels like it right now, IU will likely never become solely a "football school". So, as our athletics revenue and NIL abilities increase, so will the basketball program's budget along with it.
Oh, he definitely got reengaged just before he got canned.
Part of recruiting is understanding whether the player can fit in your program and in Knight's case, that meant dealing with his temperament. Since he had checked out and was busy fishing and hunting, we brought in players that were talented enough, but not resilient enough.
I think that's fair.
I also think the IU Basketball brand - or any team's brand - was a big part of recruiting then too. Knight wasn't getting the same level of talent to come to Lubbock. For the most part, I think that brand can still be a selling point now too. It just needs to be backed up with the NIL dollars IU supposedly has.
On a level NIL playing field, I see no reason why DeVries couldn't do what Jon Scheyer is doing at Duke. Maybe I'm being biased, but I think that's the level IU should be on.
@surjay IU has the capacity to be a top 5 NIL type program, if everyone decides they want to do it. Football has changed IU athletics for the foreseeable future. Obviously it might be that any and all increased capacity goes to the football program, and not basketball. And it'd be hard to argue with someone that wanted all their money going straight to Cignetti's efforts, right now. But the reality is, basketball is going to get some of that money, and the scale is so big, that even a small little scrap of the new football driven money, will make a big impact on the basketball team. And unlike schools like Texas, Ohio State, Alabama, etc... IU has a very, very deep and rooted history in basketball. As much as it feels like it right now, IU will likely never become solely a "football school". So, as our athletics revenue and NIL abilities increase, so will the basketball program's budget along with it.
This is a really good point. It's still competitive recruiting going against Duke, Kansas, etc for top players, but if the NIL playing field is level - and I believe it can be - there is no reason IU couldn't get the types of guys those teams are landing. As you said, it all depends on whether or not the IU administration wants to do it.
... According to ChatGPT, IU is right there at the top of the Big Ten with NIL money with Michigan. ...Chat GPT is just going by the huge number of internet posts claiming we are flush with NIL money in basketball.
Not facts, mostly just posts. (I have no facts to back this idea up, but IMO 
)
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... According to ChatGPT, IU is right there at the top of the Big Ten with NIL money with Michigan. ...Chat GPT is just going by the huge number of internet posts claiming we are flush with NIL money in basketball.Not facts, mostly just posts. (I have no facts to back this idea up, but IMO
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SI just put out an article about NIL. 20+ programs spent 10+ million last year. IU's budget was right around 10 million. Bigfoot squandered the years where we were top 5.
Our NIL is nothing special anymore. We spent 10 million last year and 20+ other programs did as well
I do think brand recognition plays into it. For the most part, I think that's why Duke has gotten some of the guys they've landed under Jon Scheyer. Top level NIL money obviously plays a big part in that as well, but I think if there are equal offers, someone is going to pick a Duke, UNC, Kansas, etc over a program that is just swinging for the fences. I still think IU would be considered a top tier brand in college basketball, but the NIL commitment has to be there.
All that said, I still think it's up to DeVries to sell these kids on coming to IU. NIL money can put him and IU in a car that can compete with top programs, but he still needs to drive and race the car.
Our NIL is nothing special anymore. We spent 10 million last year and 20+ other programs did as well
I do think brand recognition plays into it. For the most part, I think that's why Duke has gotten some of the guys they've landed under Jon Scheyer. Top level NIL money obviously plays a big part in that as well, but I think if there are equal offers, someone is going to pick a Duke, UNC, Kansas, etc over a program that is just swinging for the fences. I still think IU would be considered a top tier brand in college basketball, but the NIL commitment has to be there.
All that said, I still think it's up to DeVries to sell these kids on coming to IU. NIL money can put him and IU in a car that can compete with top programs, but he still needs to drive and race the car.
A tree stump could have been successful at Duke taking over for Coach K. I'd consider that a really bad comparison.
Oh, he definitely got reengaged just before he got canned.
Part of recruiting is understanding whether the player can fit in your program and in Knight's case, that meant dealing with his temperament. Since he had checked out and was busy fishing and hunting, we brought in players that were talented enough, but not resilient enough.
I think that's fair.
I also think the IU Basketball brand - or any team's brand - was a big part of recruiting then too. Knight wasn't getting the same level of talent to come to Lubbock. For the most part, I think that brand can still be a selling point now too. It just needs to be backed up with the NIL dollars IU supposedly has.
On a level NIL playing field, I see no reason why DeVries couldn't do what Jon Scheyer is doing at Duke. Maybe I'm being biased, but I think that's the level IU should be on.
To be honest, IU has never been at the same level that Duke is on right now. Duke is a perennial top 5 team. And frankly, that's been the case since the late 80's. They're near the top EVERY YEAR. Knight's teams were near the top for 2-3 years and then would have a year where they were down (by those standards). In his 29 years, Knight teams were in the final rankings 18x. Duke's only missed being in the final rankings 4x since 1988.
A tree stump could have been successful at Duke taking over for Coach K. I'd consider that a really bad comparison.
I think NIL coming into play helped bridge that gap between Coach K and Sheyer considerably. I'd guess that continuing the legacy Coach K built is part of the overall selling/recruiting process - but minus gobs of NIL money, the appeal to be a part of 'The Brotherhood' drops considerably.