By Ben Arthur and Malika Andrews|
The University of Portland men’s basketball team is in a state of uncertainty as they wait for the announcement of who will be their new head coach.
Eric Reveno was relieved of his coaching duties on March 15 following a disappointing first round exit in the West Coast Conference tournament. The Athletic Department announced that a nationwide search would begin immediately in search of his replacement. Two weeks later, no decision has been reached.
It will be difficult to be the leader of a team that has never had a winning legacy. The next basketball coach must be able to bring the Pilots over the hump that has made it so that no coach in the last 50 years has gone on to find another coaching job after leaving The Bluff.
The Athletic Department expects results. In the University’s most recent strategic plan, it stated that the University wanted to “develop a program of national excellence similar to women’s soccer” by 2016. The plan says that that goal would be measured by consistent top two finishes in the WCC and consistent participation in post-season tournaments while maintaining NCAA academic standards.
The next coach needs to deliver those results. They must do so while also being able to thrive in an environment where basketball is not the school’s highest priority. The reality is that on The Bluff, basketball players do not receive special treatment or a lighter academic load. The campus-wide space issue forces the team to share a gym with women’s volleyball, women’s basketball, graduations and other events.
It is not easy to man Portland’s ship. Reveno held on for 10 years and even his 2009 WCC coach of the year award and two seasons with 20+ wins were not enough. Reveno’s successor will be tasked with changing Portland’s luck.
So the question remains, who should be the new head coach?
1. Terry Porter
It is no secret that Porter’s name has been tossed around as potential candidate for the job.
A ‘Pied Piper’ would be a good fit for the job. Porter fits that role as he is an ex-NBA guy that could attract high-level talent which is something Portland will need if they want a dog in the WCC fight. The top seeds in the conference have found their recruiting niche. Saint Mary’s has a steady stream of Australian players while Gonzaga has consistently attracted high profile transfers such as Kyle Wiltjer from Kentucky and Nigel Williams-Goss from the University of Washington.
Porter could be the Pilots’ ticket to a strong recruiting class which would transfer into wins.
Ten of Porter’s 17 NBA seasons were with the Portland Trail Blazers. Although he has no college coaching experience, he has had two NBA head coaching stints (two seasons in Milwaukee, half of a season in Phoenix). He led the the Bucks to the Playoffs in 2004.
It remains to be seen if Porter is interested in UP’s coaching vacancy, but there is no question that he would be a good fit on the court.
Telling a recruit you had success playing and coaching in the NBA is a huge plus.
2. Randy Rahe
Bringing Weber State men’s basketball coach to the Chiles Center would be a long shot, but his resume is exactly what the Pilots need. He has a 64 percent winning percentage in a decade with the Wildcats.
Rahe led Weber State to NCAA tournament berths in 2007, 2014 and 2016. Not to mention, he coached Portland Trail Blazers’ point guard Damian Lillard in college. Lillard, an unranked recruit in high school, was a two time Big Sky conference player of the year for the Wildcats and became a lottery pick in the NBA Draft.
Who's to say Rahe can’t replicate similar success stories with Pilot players?
He has 208 wins at the mid-major level. Three Big Dance appearances under his belt.
He should be on Scott Leykam’s call list. 3. Donny Daniels
Don’t let Donny Daniels' age fool you. Gonzaga men’s basketball coach Mark Few has kept him on the sideline as an assistant coach for the past six years for a reason. The Zags have been in the NCAA 19 straight seasons and have proven to be the team to beat.
Daniels has a reputation of being a top-notch recruiter, a skill that would help revolutionize Portland basketball. Rivals.com rated him one of college basketball’s top 25 recruiters in 2004. He helped bring Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook and Jrue Holiday to UCLA when he served as an assistant for the Bruins. All three have gone on to become NBA All-Stars.
Daniels has served most of his 38 seasons of coaching as an assistant, but he does have head coaching experience at the mid-major level. He coached Cal State Fullerton for two seasons.
Contact Sports Reporter Ben Arthur by email arthur17@up.edu or on Twitter @KingArthur_425. Contact Sports Editor Malika Andrews by email at andrewsm17@up.edu or on Twitter @malika_andrews.
