I was thinking the other day about what an exceptional talent Kennedy Leonard is at PG. She is one of the most aggressive PGs I've seen. There are better pure scorers, obviously, like Kelsey Plum's run at Wash, but Kennedy can just be fun to watch.
Obviously, every player's game has flaws. Every coach in the country has to approach their defensive scheme and their offensive scheme based on what their players can do, can defend, and can execute.
So I started thinking, "what if" Rick George had not decided to bring in the best coach to direct the CU women's basketball program from now on, but instead decided to bring in the best coach to optimize the remaining three years of Kennedy's eligibility.
Curious what everyone else thinks or what else you might have come up with out of your "what if" machine for KL or other players for the Buffs Wbb.
Here is what I came up with in my "what if" game:
Rick George introduces Mike Bradbury as the CU Buffs women's coach. He runs a motion dribble drive offense that allows the PG to first and foremost, drive to the basket. He coached and won at Moorehead State and then took on the challenge of coaching in the Horizon conference at Wright State. When introduced at his New Mexico press conference they described Wright State as the "have nots" and I think that's an apt description in terms of facilities, tradition, and recruiting base. Yet, on sheer coaching acumen alone Mike Bradbury won at Wright State and he didn't just win, he won a lot. He coached six years there and every year but one he had a 20 win season. The Horizon league is a tough league because Green Bay sits on top, both in regional mid-major recruiting while simultaneously being a national WBB powerhouse. Yet he was incredibly successful at Wright State.
More impressively, is what his teams do scheme wise. They press the ball defensively, and that creates a ton of steals and transition baskets for the guards. Kennedy Leonard has had spectacular games with 7 steals in just half court sets. If allowed to be aggressive on defense constantly attacking I can't actually imagine what KL would do the all-time CU steals record books. Offensively, in his motion dribble-drive offense the PG pushes through the drop/drag zones on the right side of the key to beat the defender, defense. KL is one of the best I've ever seen at penetrating and beating defenders one on one. She's incredibly aggressive and Bradbury's schemes would fit her to a T. On top of that Bradbury is a great recruiter. He wins, and recruits more than anything want to win. At Wright State he developed a pair of all-conference selections. You can't overstate how difficult that is to accomplish. Imagine a coach in the American Athletic Conference developing two all-conference players, in the same conference as UCONN. That's the same presence Green Bay has in the Horizon. They are a monster team in terms of national relevance (usually showing as about the 15th best team in the country by ratings, less respect in the voting rankings).
Bradbury had three Horizon players of the year. Six all-conference. Four all-freshman. Imagine any other school in the AAC beating out UCONN's McDonald's All-American players to take conference honors. That pretty accurately captures what Bradbury accomplished at Wright State in the Horizon.
Bradbury's teams play fast: attacking in transition is KL's strength
Bradbury's teams let the PG driving for the layup as a first option: KL's strength
Bradbury's teams give the PG bailout passes while attacking the rim: KL's strength
Bradbury's teams are about scoring A LOT with the first open shot: KL's strength
Bradbury's teams lead league in scoring: KL's strength
Bradbury's teams are known for being top-10 scoring offense (New Mexico currently 11th): KL's strength
I think KL would rewrite the scoring record book and be an All-American with the dribble drive motion offense and with Mike Bradbury as her coach. I can't even fathom how many steals she'd have in his pressing attacking defense that perfectly plays into his pressing attacking offense. I have no doubt that with Bradbury at CU, KL would leave CU as the all-time leading scorer.
I think it will be interesting to compare JR Payne and Mike Bradbury as we go forward. JR Payne turned down the Arizona and New Mexico jobs to take the Buffs job. I still believe in JR Payne and believe in the #RISE of this program. However, even though JR Payne was the first choice for New Mexico, I'm not sure that New Mexico wouldn't admit JR Payne taking the CU job worked out better for them. His career trajectory that is makes me we wonder "what if." It's a fun brand of basketball and he had a star player at Colorado the would have been perfect for his system.
Regardless, good for Mike Bradbury. I'm happy with JR Payne, I'm just left thinking "what if" regarding KL if the search committee had identified Bradbury and brought him here. He's only coaching for around $250k a year at New Mexico. We all know how Rick George keeps non-revenue sports on a budget. CU wbb still is paying off old coaching contracts.
What is your "what if" scenario for who Rick George could have hired after Lappe left, or if she never even left? Which Buffs player would the coach/system have most benefited? Its the "what if" game. Spin the wheel.
Obviously, every player's game has flaws. Every coach in the country has to approach their defensive scheme and their offensive scheme based on what their players can do, can defend, and can execute.
So I started thinking, "what if" Rick George had not decided to bring in the best coach to direct the CU women's basketball program from now on, but instead decided to bring in the best coach to optimize the remaining three years of Kennedy's eligibility.
Curious what everyone else thinks or what else you might have come up with out of your "what if" machine for KL or other players for the Buffs Wbb.
Here is what I came up with in my "what if" game:
Rick George introduces Mike Bradbury as the CU Buffs women's coach. He runs a motion dribble drive offense that allows the PG to first and foremost, drive to the basket. He coached and won at Moorehead State and then took on the challenge of coaching in the Horizon conference at Wright State. When introduced at his New Mexico press conference they described Wright State as the "have nots" and I think that's an apt description in terms of facilities, tradition, and recruiting base. Yet, on sheer coaching acumen alone Mike Bradbury won at Wright State and he didn't just win, he won a lot. He coached six years there and every year but one he had a 20 win season. The Horizon league is a tough league because Green Bay sits on top, both in regional mid-major recruiting while simultaneously being a national WBB powerhouse. Yet he was incredibly successful at Wright State.
More impressively, is what his teams do scheme wise. They press the ball defensively, and that creates a ton of steals and transition baskets for the guards. Kennedy Leonard has had spectacular games with 7 steals in just half court sets. If allowed to be aggressive on defense constantly attacking I can't actually imagine what KL would do the all-time CU steals record books. Offensively, in his motion dribble-drive offense the PG pushes through the drop/drag zones on the right side of the key to beat the defender, defense. KL is one of the best I've ever seen at penetrating and beating defenders one on one. She's incredibly aggressive and Bradbury's schemes would fit her to a T. On top of that Bradbury is a great recruiter. He wins, and recruits more than anything want to win. At Wright State he developed a pair of all-conference selections. You can't overstate how difficult that is to accomplish. Imagine a coach in the American Athletic Conference developing two all-conference players, in the same conference as UCONN. That's the same presence Green Bay has in the Horizon. They are a monster team in terms of national relevance (usually showing as about the 15th best team in the country by ratings, less respect in the voting rankings).
Bradbury had three Horizon players of the year. Six all-conference. Four all-freshman. Imagine any other school in the AAC beating out UCONN's McDonald's All-American players to take conference honors. That pretty accurately captures what Bradbury accomplished at Wright State in the Horizon.
Bradbury's teams play fast: attacking in transition is KL's strength
Bradbury's teams let the PG driving for the layup as a first option: KL's strength
Bradbury's teams give the PG bailout passes while attacking the rim: KL's strength
Bradbury's teams are about scoring A LOT with the first open shot: KL's strength
Bradbury's teams lead league in scoring: KL's strength
Bradbury's teams are known for being top-10 scoring offense (New Mexico currently 11th): KL's strength
I think KL would rewrite the scoring record book and be an All-American with the dribble drive motion offense and with Mike Bradbury as her coach. I can't even fathom how many steals she'd have in his pressing attacking defense that perfectly plays into his pressing attacking offense. I have no doubt that with Bradbury at CU, KL would leave CU as the all-time leading scorer.
I think it will be interesting to compare JR Payne and Mike Bradbury as we go forward. JR Payne turned down the Arizona and New Mexico jobs to take the Buffs job. I still believe in JR Payne and believe in the #RISE of this program. However, even though JR Payne was the first choice for New Mexico, I'm not sure that New Mexico wouldn't admit JR Payne taking the CU job worked out better for them. His career trajectory that is makes me we wonder "what if." It's a fun brand of basketball and he had a star player at Colorado the would have been perfect for his system.
Regardless, good for Mike Bradbury. I'm happy with JR Payne, I'm just left thinking "what if" regarding KL if the search committee had identified Bradbury and brought him here. He's only coaching for around $250k a year at New Mexico. We all know how Rick George keeps non-revenue sports on a budget. CU wbb still is paying off old coaching contracts.
What is your "what if" scenario for who Rick George could have hired after Lappe left, or if she never even left? Which Buffs player would the coach/system have most benefited? Its the "what if" game. Spin the wheel.
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