It hasn’t even been a month since former Tulane basketball coach Ed Conroy was unconventionally relieved of his duties. However, it seems that the Green Wave are nearing the end of their short replacement search.
The program has narrowed its focus on former NBA coach Mike Dunleavy, Sr., leaving Wave fans cautiously optimistic of what is to come.
The prospect that professional-level talent is making its way to New Orleans is leaving Tulane fans anxious. Dunleavy, who has reportedly reached an “imminent” deal with the Green Wave, brings with him a resume that definitely raises some eyebrows.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF4ZattqF6o
With the Lakers, Trail Blazers, Bucks, and Clippers in the NBA, Dunleavy put together a total of 613 wins and several trips to the playoffs. In his first season in L.A., he took the Lakers to the NBA Finals.
With credentials like that, the question goes from “what can Dunleavy do?” to “what can Dunleavy do with this Tulane team?” With all that’s happened to the Green Wave besides the loss of Conroy, this is a valid question to ask.
Earlier this month, sophomore Dylan Osetkowski announced his departure from Tulane, taking away one of the team’s premier defenders. Throw in the loss of senior Louis Dabney and Dunleavy has himself a challenge and a unique one at that.
When he arrives in New Orleans, Dunleavy’s job will be unlike that of many other new coaches. While it is common to have a guy step into a bunch of upperclassmen and be faced with the task of “earning a locker room’s respect” so to speak, Dunleavy will be taking command of a young team.
This is where his professional experience as a coach will prove to be crucial. His revamping of the coaching staff and recruitment this offseason will be one of the primary tellers of his ability as the new man in charge in Tulane.
This team caught a glimpse of what it could be earlier this March in the AAC tournament. Dunleavy knows that and he undoubtedly understands that anything less than an improvement on a 12-win season will be a major disappointment.
Any coach can draw up plays on a whiteboard and teach his guys the fundamentals of how to run them. Tulane is looking for the guy, though, that carries the intangibles required to get a group of young men to truly believe and invest into what he preaches.
Is Dunleavy that guy? On paper, yes. According to the numbers, there’s no reason that with him Tulane shouldn’t see at least slight improvement. The problem with paper; it doesn’t ever tell the whole story. There’s only a finite number of coaches who can do the off-the-court stuff to truly create a winning team. Only time will tell if Mike Dunleavy Sr. fits that bill in Tulane.
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