He really thrives off taking kids with a chip on their shoulder, teaching them how to play hard and then designing a system around those strengths. Texas obviously wanted him to recruit a certain type of recruit that while it looks good on paper, it doesn't mesh with his system. Mo Bamba doesn't have a chip on his shoulder. He isn't going to ever play hard. He is skilled and big and had gotten by for far too long on talent and size to play the way Shaka likes to play. Marquette doesn't have that kind of expectation, and the year they were a 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament they only brought in 1 Top 100 player, who was on par with the type of player in VTs realm. They play hard. They play in his system. They're always going to be a tough out. "Recruit better" despite being an absolute nothingburger of a suggestion, also isn't the answer for many programs. Unless what you're suggesting is be better in your evaluations. Then every coach on the planet needs to do that. I would have loved to see him at VT had he been let go at the same time VT had the vacancy. But I don't think Blacksburg would be the ideal landing spot for he and his wife.

I think the prior VT AD took a swing at him while at VCU.....probably offered the same money but 20 percent off food on campus or some equally amazing deal...before deciding on James Johnson (after of course Jay Wright didn't pan out).

Without getting into the political side of things, there's not a city in Texas outside of Austin where they would have been ok moving to. If ya know what I mean...

I would ask you to consider that human beings are pretty interesting and don’t often fit into stereotypes.

Never really paid much attention beyond W's and L's and his struggles seemed odd.

Never got past the first round, though.

I think that's the point