Just a few years in the past when the NCAA began letting transfers play with out sitting out, Tony Bennett polled his former stars who made it within the NBA.
Bennett prided himself on growing gamers, nevertheless it was a course of and a few guys “needed to combat for it.” Some redshirted. Most needed to wait their flip, in some capability.
When you may switch with out sitting out once you had been at Virginia, Bennett requested them, would you might have caught it out?
“It’s humorous,” Bennett advised me two years in the past, because the portal started to alter recruiting and faculty basketball. “They stated, to a person, unquestionably, one of the best factor for my profession and why I imagine I’ve made it and been very profitable within the NBA is when it acquired robust, I caught it out. I battled by way of it. I simply stored going arduous, despite the fact that I had all of the doubts. Folks had been telling me you’ve acquired to get out. After which I got here out as extra mature, harder minded. I didn’t shortcut the method.
“However sarcastically, a few of them have stated, if this rule had been in place, I don’t know if I’d have caught it out. Some stated I’d have it doesn’t matter what. Some guys stated that will have been an in depth name. I may need left and that will have been the largest mistake I may have made.”
Bennett stated goodbye to school basketball on Thursday afternoon, abruptly retiring three weeks earlier than the season, and it is smart when you understand how he wished to win.
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Virginia males’s basketball coach Tony Bennett, 55, retires on cusp of season
There have been rumors of this late final season. I had it from sufficient individuals — coaches, scouts — that it couldn’t have simply been conjecture. It was stunning when Bennett signed an extension by way of 2030 in June, however contracts hardly matter anymore in faculty sports activities. Most Corridor of Famers, and Bennett will probably be one, have offers that enable them to teach so long as they need.
One other high-major coach known as me on Thursday night time, one who requested final winter if I’d heard the rumor, and stated he wasn’t that shocked. “This final recruiting cycle was terrible,” he stated. A lot mendacity from gamers and brokers — each transfers and excessive schoolers. A lot posturing for more cash. There’s fatigue all through the business.
The rationale I known as Bennett two years in the past was for a narrative on the packages that had achieved one of the best in growing execs who weren’t five-star recruits. Bennett was excited to speak about his success tales. “This one is in our wheelhouse,” he stated.
The outcomes confirmed why he received so many video games. Below my standards, Virginia was tied for third among the many faculties that developed non-five-star NBA gamers who performed a minimum of 82 video games within the earlier 15 years.
Bennett was proper on the tail finish of probably the greatest many years within the sport this century. From 2014 to 2023, along with profitable the 2019 nationwide title, Virginia received the ACC six occasions. Duke and UNC mixed to win 4 common season titles in that stretch.
It was virtually a degree of satisfaction for Bennett that he’d by no means landed a five-star, and he was nonetheless kicking Duke and North Carolina’s butt within the ACC.
“The narrative was they’ll by no means win as a result of they’re in a league with Duke and Carolina,” Bennett stated of when he took the job. “Simply don’t go to Virginia. They received’t win. It’s too arduous. Properly, then we began profitable. We received 5 common season championships (now six) and two ACC tournaments within the final 10 years. We’ve received probably the most, after which they stated, ‘Properly, don’t go to Virginia since you’re gonna actually should defend. They’re gonna play quite a lot of protection. I don’t know should you’ll be capable to get your sport to the NBA; they may not play fairly as quick as all these groups, so it’s gonna be actually arduous. You would possibly win now, however you’re not gonna be capable to advance your dream of creating it to the NBA.’
“And so having the ability to say: Now, the proof is within the pudding.”
Bennett stated this with a lot satisfaction. Improvement is what wins in faculty basketball. At all times has. At all times will. And he was probably the greatest at figuring out potential and growing guys into winners and execs. However hardly was it ever quick success, and it’s getting tougher and tougher to persuade gamers to be affected person.
Within the final 5 years, Bennett had 11 gamers switch. Eleven! This is among the most likable, greatest expertise builders, greatest coaches within the sport, nonetheless working in his prime.
Possibly Bennett will ultimately inform us it was one thing else. The timing is odd. But it surely permits for one among his assistants — possible Ron Sanchez, probably Jason Williford — to get a shot to retain the job. And contemplating the whispers final season, that is one thing he’s possible been mulling for some time now.
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This is not the school basketball Tony Bennett fell in love with. You possibly can’t blame him for that
At 55, Bennett would most likely nonetheless be teaching in one other period.
You possibly can nonetheless win and coach and develop like he did. It’s simply tougher than ever to maintain success with out turning over the roster consistently. And once you’ve already received like Bennett received, and also you’re financially set for the remainder of your life, nobody can blame him for eager to do one thing else. Jay Wright actually appears joyful calling video games.
In a few years, we may even see one other coach step away a lot earlier than anybody would have ever thought. Veteran coaches have been asking for extra of a voice in how faculty basketball operates, however the NCAA continues to disregard them.
It’s nonetheless a enjoyable sport to look at. There’s nonetheless so much to like concerning the job for these nonetheless teaching. However this model of school basketball isn’t the one Tony Bennett fell in love with.
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Who will substitute Tony Bennett at Virginia? Interim coach Ron Sanchez is not solely candidate
(Picture: Amber Searls / USA Right this moment)
