Chris Mullin new head coach of St. John's!

[XUFan09]

The coaching staff is gonna be fantastic. Recruiting should not be a problem.

Is it? Are they that far along? All I've heard are rumors and speculation.

[NJRedman]

You people are really funny in your hating. Kids don't know who Chris Mullin is? What do teenagers have trouble working the internet? They can't figure out Google?

"This head coach just called me, let me see what his credentials are. Oh wow, NBA all star, Hall of Famer and he was on the Dream Team with Jordan? Wow!"

Too bad this is the reality.

http://m.nydailynews.com/sports/high-sc ... -1.2166589

Alkins, a junior combo guard at Christ the King HS in Middle Village, Queens, is considered the top high school player in the city and is a three-time city champ and two-time state Federation tournament winner. He’s been offered scholarships by dozens of schools, most of them among the top programs in the country. Yet, St. John’s showed no interest in Alkins while Steve Lavin was the coach, Alkins said on Sunday.

“St. John’s has not recruited me,” Alkins said. “I don’t know if they will come see me if Chris Mullin comes back, but if he does I would love to see what he has to say.”

And this to close it out.

Cardozo’s Ray Salnave is one of the top public school players still without a college destination. A junior guard, he does count St. John’s among several schools that have offered him a scholarship. But like Alkins, Salnave said Red Storm coaches have to do a better job of connecting with local players. Most of Salnave’s contact with Lavin or other St. John’s coaches came through phone calls or texts, he said.

“They don’t show their faces enough,” Salnave said. “There’s only so much you can do by reaching out.”

Salnave also agreed with Alkin’s belief that Mullin’s NBA experience — 16 seasons as a player, more than 10 years as an executive — would be a huge plus in the eyes of city players who might be considering St. John’s.

“He has professional experience — that’s a plus for anybody,” said Salnave, who won the public school city title with Cardozo last season. “He’s one of the people that made it out of there, so him coming back, the recruiting would be different as far as New York basketball.”

It may be too late for St. John’s to get in on the Alkins recruiting sweepstakes, but the prep star has some good news for Mullin, or whoever the next Red Storm coach is.

“I think I know a couple of top players in the city who would want to go to St. John’s,” Alkins said.

So how about you haters stop tripping over yourselves to try and say how a guy who played 16 years in the NBA who wasn't very fast and couldn't really jump can't possibly coach. What you think that guy stayed around for so long and was a 5 time all star because he didn't know his X's and O's? The greats on the Dream Team said he made everyone who played with him better. Yeah, how can he possibly teach a kid anything. Oh and those connections to every GM in the league mean nothing to kids or assistant coaches.

[Bill Marsh]

Your last sentence speaks volumes, NJ Redman. For kids with NBA aspirations, hooking up with a former NBA executive has to be an enormous positive.

[SecureDaBall]

You people are really funny in your hating. Kids don't know who Chris Mullin is? What do teenagers have trouble working the internet? They can't figure out Google?

Do people still use the word hating?

I'm not "hating", not congratulating either, but definitely not "hating".

I hope I am wrong but I can't see Mullin doing well and I don't see them outbidding every other school for their wishlist of assistants. I am not rooting against the guy but I feel there is so much that has to happen for Mullin just to have above average success. For him to be truly successful so much more has to fall in place and I don't like his chances.

Everyone wants to compare this to Hoiberg but we can also compare this to Clyde Drexler at Houston. Was he a success resurrecting a program who's glory days were during the mid-eighties? There is that old adage about great players being bad coaches and it makes sense. While Mullin was being successful in the NBA, some slow, short, untalented point guard became a post-graduate assistant and has acquired the skills and knowledge needed to become a successful coach. Maybe Hurley wasn't coming but I'd rather have Cluess or Masiello.

Your last sentence speaks volumes, NJ Redman. For kids with NBA aspirations, hooking up with a former NBA executive has to be an enormous positive.

How has that worked out for Eddie Jordan at Rutgers? I would expect every big time program has someone on-staff with a connection to the NBA. I don't think the fact that Mullin had an office at Sleep Train Arena is helping to sign four-stars.

[BEhomer]

one of the reasons former greats fail at coaching is because they don't realize how grueling the job can be. rick pitino commented about sacrificing the summer in high school gyms for recruits. it is a hard thing to come back to from your cushy retirement. mullin's work ethic is well documented, so I think he'll be ok in that regard.

what i'm concerned about is his ability to communicate with the players. there is no doubt he has a wealth of bball knowledge, but if he can't get his players to buy in it does him no good. hard to judge at this point because all i remember is that he was a soft spoken introverted player.

[RedStormHoops]

It'll all come down to recruiting. Will he recruit ?
Many high school kids will schedule a meeting just to meet Mullin. Would you ?

If he is on PlayStation 2015, recruits will know him. If not, they will have no idea who he is.

There have already been a few articles with quotes from recruits saying they would be very interested in SJU if Mullin is the coach. If anything, it gets him in the door with top level recruits.

Correct Jet. Rawle Alkins, a junior in high school and future mcdonalds all American, said he wants to talk to mullin if he is indeed coach. This js a kid Lavin did not touch because he had a bad relationship with his high school coach, and now this kid wants to speak to mullin.

Isaiah Whitehead tweeted "Chris Mullin as coach is a good look for the johnnies" yesterday. I think he knows who he is.

People don't understand what is going on here. Our starting lineup next year could very well consist of Sheed Jordan, Brandon Sampson, Samir Doughty, Chris Obekpa, and Cheick Diallo. That is very good. We are adding Iowa states lead recruiter to the staff, will be announced shortly. He has been recruiting Diallo to ISU for a long time, and now he's packing his backs and joining to Big East legends in queens. That is because soon we will announce addition of Ed Pickney, and then slice from Kentucky. Just wait. People doubting the hire will have their foot in their mouth soon.

[SecureDaBall]

Correct Jet. Rawle Alkins, a junior in high school and future mcdonalds all American, said he wants to talk to mullin if he is indeed coach. This js a kid Lavin did not touch because he had a bad relationship with his high school coach, and now this kid wants to speak to mullin.

Isaiah Whitehead tweeted "Chris Mullin as coach is a good look for the johnnies" yesterday. I think he knows who he is.

People don't understand what is going on here. Our starting lineup next year could very well consist of Sheed Jordan, Brandon Sampson, Samir Doughty, Chris Obekpa, and Cheick Diallo. That is very good. We are adding Iowa states lead recruiter to the staff, will be announced shortly. He has been recruiting Diallo to ISU for a long time, and now he's packing his backs and joining to Big East legends in queens. That is because soon we will announce addition of Ed Pickney, and then slice from Kentucky. Just wait. People doubting the hire will have their foot in their mouth soon.

Sounds great. 2 top forty recruits, Doughty, and the two best assistants available for recruiting the Northeast. Sign me up!!!!

[HoosierPal]

[quote="Jet915]

Correct Jet. Rawle Alkins, a junior in high school and future mcdonalds all American, said he wants to talk to mullin if he is indeed coach. This js a kid Lavin did not touch because he had a bad relationship with his high school coach, and now this kid wants to speak to mullin.

Isaiah Whitehead tweeted "Chris Mullin as coach is a good look for the johnnies" yesterday. I think he knows who he is.

People don't understand what is going on here. Our starting lineup next year could very well consist of Sheed Jordan, Brandon Sampson, Samir Doughty, Chris Obekpa, and Cheick Diallo. That is very good. We are adding Iowa states lead recruiter to the staff, will be announced shortly. He has been recruiting Diallo to ISU for a long time, and now he's packing his backs and joining to Big East legends in queens. That is because soon we will announce addition of Ed Pickney, and then slice from Kentucky. Just wait. People doubting the hire will have their foot in their mouth soon.[/quote][/quote][/quote]

Here is a parallel situation. Calbert Cheaney is a Hoosier Legend. He starred in HS at Evansville, went to IU, still holds the Big Ten scoring record, won all 12 national college player of the year awards in 1993, and had a solid NBA 11 year career. He is now the head recruiter at St. Louis University. He is well known in the Midwest particularly in Indiana, and parents, coaches, etc. respond to him. If he goes to NYC, how many HS recruits and even HS coaches would recognize him? Same situation with the new SJU coach. He will have an easy in, inside the NY territory, but outside he won't be known nearly as well.

[SecureDaBall]

[quote="Jet915]

Correct Jet. Rawle Alkins, a junior in high school and future mcdonalds all American, said he wants to talk to mullin if he is indeed coach. This js a kid Lavin did not touch because he had a bad relationship with his high school coach, and now this kid wants to speak to mullin.

Isaiah Whitehead tweeted "Chris Mullin as coach is a good look for the johnnies" yesterday. I think he knows who he is.

People don't understand what is going on here. Our starting lineup next year could very well consist of Sheed Jordan, Brandon Sampson, Samir Doughty, Chris Obekpa, and Cheick Diallo. That is very good. We are adding Iowa states lead recruiter to the staff, will be announced shortly. He has been recruiting Diallo to ISU for a long time, and now he's packing his backs and joining to Big East legends in queens. That is because soon we will announce addition of Ed Pickney, and then slice from Kentucky. Just wait. People doubting the hire will have their foot in their mouth soon.[/quote][/quote][/quote][/quote]

Here is a parallel situation. Calbert Cheaney is a Hoosier Legend. He starred in HS at Evansville, went to IU, still holds the Big Ten scoring record, won all 12 national college player of the year awards in 1993, and had a solid NBA 11 year career. He is now the head recruiter at St. Louis University. He is well known in the Midwest particularly in Indiana, and parents, coaches, etc. respond to him. If he goes to NYC, how many HS recruits and even HS coaches would recognize him? Same situation with the new SJU coach. He will have an easy in, inside the NY territory, but outside he won't be known nearly as well.[/quote]

Same situation? Cheaney is working his way up to become a head coach, he wasn't handed a head coaching job with no experience.

[Steve Lavin]

So when was it ok to compare other mediocre NBA players with NBA legends on the Dream Team also in the NBA HOF?