NBA experience or not, top 150 recruits don't want to come play in an offense where Richard Roby takes 12 shots a game as a senior. we went down that road once with Tom Friggin Miller. Tom was a decent guy who tried hard, knew X and O, but was running an O that barely acknowledged the shot clock or the newfangled 3 point line when Norm Stewart, Larry Brown, Johnny Orr, and Billy Tubbs are averaging 90 points a game.
Totally agree. At the time we lost Bzdelik, I thought it was a big loss. Not so much any more. We look overmatched at most positions on the floor.
I also tend to agree with your assessment that the academic progress can mostly be attributed to a change in the AD culture as a whole, not to Bzdelik.