Arizona Wildcats fans and Tommy Lloyd, owe Sean Miller a Debt of Gratitude
The amazing run by the Arizona Men’s Basketball team is a marvel for all of us to see as Tommy Lloyd leads the Wildcats in the NCAA Tournament.
Tommy Lloyd richly deserved his Coach of the Year Award in the conference and I would be surprised if he doesn’t win it Nationally as well, but he has to realize that he is also an uncommonly lucky man as head coach of the Arizona Wildcats.
Arizona’s foreign connection.
Earlier this year I was watching a broadcast of one of Arizona’s basketball games and the announcers discussed how good of a recruiter Lloyd is of foreign-born players. They then showed pictures of Azuolas Tubelis, Kerr Kriisa, and Kerr Koloko as proof of their claim. I had to laugh.
Arizona fans of course know that it was Sean Miller who recruited those players. Yes, Tommy Lloyd should be given props for making sure that they stayed, but Miller gets the credit for bringing them to the UofA in the first place.
Props for Sean Miller
Truth be told, for all his faults, Miller was a great coach for Arizona and when he left, he made sure the cupboard was stocked. Miller never had a losing record at Arizona compiling a 302-109 overall record and a 150-68 Pac-12 mark. His Pac-12 record trails only John Wooden and Lute Olson. Pretty good company if you ask me.
The three-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year (2011, 2014, and 2017) took Arizona to seven NCAA Tournament appearances in 11 years, which included 3 Elite Eight appearances and two Sweet Sixteens.
The current starting line-up for the No. 2 ranked Wildcats is composed entirely of Sean Miller signees. Lloyd has molded them into the juggernaut that is Arizona Basketball, but Miller gave him the ammunition.
Miller taught them tenacious defense, Lloyd has brought the explosive offense, it’s quite a combination.
I don’t know what Sean is doing now, I hope one day to see him return to the college coaching ranks. Everyone deserves a second chance. However, I caution that I don’t want to see Miller as coach at another Pac-12 school. He’s just too good at what he does, and I wouldn’t want to have us face his teams twice a year.
Next. Potential rematches stand in way for 1-seed Arizona Basketball. dark
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