By Eddie Pells
Big men are taking back the Final Four.
At least one college coach wonders what all the fuss is about.
Russell Turner keeps the pipeline of 7-footers flowing at UC Irvine. This year, he had the tallest player in the tournament, 7-foot-6 Mamadou Ndiaye out of Senegal. He also had a 7-2 guy, and two who measured in at 6-10.
Ndiaye and the rest of the bigs helped the Anteaters make the tournament for the first time in program history this year. They lost a heartbreaker, 57-55 to Louisville, in their first game.
In Indy this week for the annual coach’s convention, Turner has a theory about why years like this _ with Jahlil Okafor, Karl-Anthony Towns and Frank Kaminsky giving their teams a (big) presence in the post _ are so rare anymore.
AP Photo/David J. Phillip
“Coaches have to recruit ready made players,” Turner said. “If you’re able to have time with big guys, focus their work well, then they’ll get a lot better. But it’s an investment that takes time. As competitive as the game is, and these jobs are, sometimes it’s not easy for guys to have patience.”
Before UC Irvine, Turner worked with the likes of Tim Duncan at Wake Forest and Jason and Jarron Collins at Stanford.
It’s an art developing a big man. And Turner always appreciates having one or two around.
“There are a lot less traditional big guys now, but I think with the defensive side of the game advancing the way it has _ shot blocking, rim protection, athleticism _ it really is important to try to recruit on that side of the ball,” Turner said. “I think that’s something everyone understands.”