Huskies smartly re-up Kevin Ollie with multi-year deal to make him highest-paid ACC coach.
In just his second year as the head coach at UCONN, Kevin Ollie was able to bring home a national championship – even at a powerhouse that is an amazing accomplishment. It would only be a matter of time before NBA teams would begin calling Ollie with offers to lure him away from the university. Especially at a time where legendary franchises like the Lakers and Knicks are searching for head coaches in addition to the Timberwolves, Jazz, and Cavaliers.
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But, what would it take to for him to leave his national champion Huskies? A question NBA GMs could not figure out an answer to quick enough as Ollie has reportedly agreed to a $3M yearly extension at the university. Ollie ended all speculation of him heading to the league with confidence in a statement released earlier,”I love this university. I am not looking for another job. Of course, you listen to different things. I got two ears, I’m going to listen, but I’m not running out there soliciting any other job. I want to be here at the University of Connecticut. I’m going to be the UConn coach, nothing’s changed.”
It will be interesting to see how he handles recruiting for the upcoming season, following the departure of leader Shabazz Napier and no UCONN commits showcasing in the McDonalds All American game. That didn’t seem to be much of a problem last year as the Huskies joined the 2002 Maryland Terrapins as the only teams to ever win a national title without any McDonalds All Americans on the roster. This just reiterates the fact that Kevin Ollie is well deserving of the extension, taking a team with none of the top HS recruits, a mediocre record and deemed ineligible for last year’s tournament due to academic issues to national champions.
Encore, Coach Ollie. Encore.