Who The Experts Think Oklahoma State Should Hire

We talked to a few college basketball personalities around the country to get their takes on who Oklahoma State should hire after Brad Underwood ejected for Illinois. Many of these writers and TV analysts are plugged in with agents, coaches and players and had a variety of opinions. Here they are.

Gary Parrish (CBS Sports)

Depends on what the school is willing to spend. You got $3 million a year? Go try to get Buzz Williams (Virginia Tech). You got $1 million a year? Go hire Steve Forbes (East Tennessee State). Something in the middle? Call Tim Jankovich (SMU).

Want to hire a personality who loves Oklahoma State as much as you love Oklahoma State? Roll the dice on Doug Gottlieb. Lots of different ways to go. But it mostly comes down to what kind of money they’re willing to spend.

Jeff Eisenberg (Yahoo)

Buzz Williams would be the home run hire that would ease frustration over how badly Oklahoma State botched the Underwood situation, but I’m not sure the school would pay the $3 million a year it would take to pry him from Virginia Tech, nor am I sure he’d leave regardless.

Assuming Buzz isn’t an option, I’d gauge Tom Crean’s interest and I’d reach out to a couple of up-and-coming guys like Scott Cross at UT-Arlington or maybe Dan Muller at Illinois State.

Oklahoma State’s interest in Doug Gottlieb as an out-of-the-box option also makes sense. His lack of coaching experience is obviously a major drawback, but he has a sharp mind for the sport and a passion for the program. Pair him with a former head coach as his top assistant for a couple years, and that could work.

Russell Steinberg (SB Nation)

On the list of potential candidates to take the Oklahoma State job, no one checks all the boxes quite like Tim Jankovich of SMU. The AAC coach of the year has already succeeded as a head coach, winning 20 games consistently at Illinois State and taking the Mustangs to the NCAA Tournament this year.

He’s also known as a good recruiter and played an integral role in bringing two-time AAC player of the year Nic Moore to SMU. Better yet, he has spent most of his career in Big 12 country, including four years alongside Bill Self at Kansas and a year on the staff at Oklahoma State.

Price Atkinson (ESPN Upstate Radio)

To me coaching vacancies and searches is all about fit and not about whether someone is a respective “family” guy. Whether he played, coaches or has ties to the program is irrelevant. It’s all about fit and who will be the best guy that can win.

Dayton’s Archie Miller would be my first choice. Why? Simple. He can flat out coach, could be had for the right price and his “folksy” nature in Stillwater would be a hit. Having beaten several of the big boys while at UD, Miller wouldn’t be the least bit intimidated by the Huggins, Selfs, Krugers and Dixons of the world. Plus the timing is right since he graduates the senior core of his team.

It wouldn’t be a sexy hire on paper but Butler’s Chris Holtmann is a rising star destined for greener pastures. Players love him, his work ethic is off the charts and he’s great at finding and evaluating players that fit what he wants to do on both ends of the floor. The 2017 Big East Coach of the Year employs a methodical offense but his teams are stingy defensively and could present matchup issues i.e. West Virginia in a more up-tempo, offensively oriented conference.

The third and very outside-the-box hire would be CBS Sports/soon-to-be Fox Sports 1 analyst and radio show host Doug Gottlieb. Does anyone know he played at OSU? Kidding. This goes against the grain of looking outside the family but there’s something to be said for a guy that REALLY wants the job and to be there as a former player.

Plus he’d likely be the cheapest guy on the market, as you wouldn’t have to pay a first-time head coach seven figures.