NCAA Rumors Coach Hopkins tied to Pittsburgh opening
By Bret Stuter
After just one season, Washington Basketball Coach Hopkins is already mentioned in rumors tied to head coaching position of Pittsburg’s men’s basketball program
When the Washington Basketball program signed on Mike Hopkins to be the team’s head coach, he committed fully. His passion was infectious. His insights were shrewd and provocative. And his coaching techniques were hugely successful. Not only related to coaching up his players, but in the success on the basketball court.
The team improved rapidly, climbing from a 9-22 season to a 23-11 ending. But success comes at a price. Success breeds attention. That attention can be the good kind. Attention builds reputation. And reputation helps to recruit new players to the program. And it ensures consideration for accolades at season’s end:
The leader of our family.
— Washington Men's Basketball (@UW_MBB) March 21, 2018
Head coach Mike Hopkins has been named the NABC District 20 Coach of the Year. #TougherTogether
>> https://t.co/pemaUd2r3s pic.twitter.com/JIs1rGgtrs
The good attention makes the sport worthwhile.
Bad attention
But like most anything, there is a darker side to attention and national reputation. And the bad kind leads to all kinds of rumors:
One name that has started to surface a little bit for Pittsburgh, if Dan Hurley chooses UConn, is Washington’s Mike Hopkins. Strong northeast ties, especially in the prep school ranks. Was Pac-12 COY and was with Syracuse in ACC.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 22, 2018
Most of rumors have little to no basis. They begin as conceptual ideas which agents toss into social media as a test-bed to see if there is any mutual interest. Coach Hopkins has no good reason to entertain the idea. Even if a significant pay raise is at stake, quitting for a better offer is certain death among coaching circles. Trust, which is the currency of college recruiting, would be permanently bankrupted with any move after just one season. No head coach can succeed without a steady flow of talent players arriving each and every year.
Washington is Hopkins home now
Coach Hopkins is either very dedicated to UW, or he’s the best marketing person in the nation since the advent of infomercials. Here is an example of his direct message at his one year anniversary.
One year ago today I joined the Husky family...and what a year it’s been! The people, the program, and the community in Washington have been remarkable. Thank you to @JenniferCohenUW for starting this journey with me—it’s a good day to be a dawg!#GoHuskies #TougherTogether pic.twitter.com/pCX516vZpB
— Coach Mike Hopkins (@Coach_Hopkins) March 19, 2018
This is not the message of a new head coach who is seeking employment elsewhere. Nor should it be. Washington took a chance on Hopkins by offering him his first chance to become a head coach. And in doing so, has opened a new realm of possibilities for Hopkins career. Coach Hopkins has a Live Press Conference on March 22, 2018. In that conference, he did address that nasty rumor.
Mike Hopkins on coaching rumors "Don't believe everything you read" and then states he's happy being at Washington. #UWHuskies
— Ryan S. Clark (@ryan_s_clark) March 22, 2018
And in the end, Coach Hopkins put it to rest. Once and for all.
Next: 2018-2019 Washington Basketball team grows up
Rumors or not, Coach Hopkins isn’t going anywhere. It’s a cute idea, but when exposed to the light of reasoning, it quickly dissipates into the mists from which it came.