Hanno Mottola on ESPN700

[Staples]

I didn’t get a chance to catch the entire interview, but Hanno was just on with Bill Riley and gave a really interesting perspective on what direction the Utes program needs to go. In a nutshell, the game has changed and to paraphrase “you can’t play 90’s style basketball anymore.” Instead we should be recruiting (and preparing) players that want to eventually play basketball professionally, be that in the NBA or overseas. Might sound obvious, but he was clearly indicating that style of play has to be part of that equation. Also advocated for the NCAA to move to using more of the international rules, i.e. 24 second clock, no live-ball timeouts. I wholeheartedly would endorse those changes.

[Utephoria]

Should Harlen be looking at AJ since he played in the 90’s and has been tutored by one head coach (Majerus) that had a large amount of his success in the 90’s? Or has AJ evolved enough with other coaching influences to meet Hanno’s insights on the college game today? Being an NBA coach I think AJ has evolved to Hanno’s thinking. 

[EagleMountainUte]

LaMelo Ball simply played overseas. Now he is an extreme example because his father was straight up using him for financial purposes. But I believe if you are really good you simply go play overseas then head to the NBA.
I think Jensen or Bryant are both steps towards a more modern Utes team. Yet maybe over paying for a coach isn’t the answer. Maybe just spending on players is more important.
Larry K had some unfortunate luck with some key recruits essentially being paid to flip. Utah just needs boosters to sponsor guys to play for Utah. That is the modern NCAA in my opinion. If he had got 2 players who flipped last minute maybe it builds momentum needed for a deep run.

[dwainegf]

Do you really win when you cheat to win? Philosophical question here. My answer is no.

[EagleMountainUte]

It isn’t cheating anymore when they are allowed to sell their likeness now correct?

I have been fairly excited about the prospect of hiring Jensen or Bryant. Yet it won’t amount to s**t if they can’t get that recruit. Maybe I am oversimplifying the narrative for Utah’s past ten years under Larry K. It always felt like he was recruiting well only to lose guys. Even the Zoobs poached a kid to the WCC by hiring his dad.

Maybe I am just a victim of our own narrative but that is how it has felt. Arizona straight up cheated and they got nothing. They were doing the worst kind of cheating and should have been death penaltied in my mind.

But the cheating has made me pretty apathetic. I was considering buying season tickets with a Alex Jensen hire but it is going to be sad to see him lose guys if he can’t give daddy a job or give them a licensing deal for their future nba contract.

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