Billy Gillispie

Name:

Billy Gillispie

Position:

Head Coach

Team:

None

Career Record:

139–84

Key Influences:

Bill Self (Kansas)

Great Players:

Antoine Wright (Texas A&M), Jodie Meeks, Patrick Patterson (Kentucky)

Profile:

No basketball coach, anywhere, is subjected to greater scrutiny than the head coach at Kentucky. The spotlight proved a bit too bright for Billy Gillispie, who was fired after two seasons coaching the Wildcats.

Gillispie's path to a big-time coaching job began as a graduate assistant at Sam Houston State University and Southwest Texas. After a few years as a highly-successful high school coach and junior college, he returned to Division I hoops in 1994 as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Baylor. Three years later, he hitched himself to a rising star, becoming an assistant to Bill Self at Tulsa. When Self left Tulsa for the head coaching job at Illinois in 2000, Gillespie followed him to Champaign and helped to recruit the players that would share Big Ten titles in 2001 and 2002. After the 2002 season, Gillespie was hired to take over the head coaching position at UTEP.

In Gillispie's first first season in El Paso, his Miners posted a 6-24 record; in his second, he landed a top-25 recruiting class and the school's first conference title in 12 years. After two years at UTEP, Gillispie took over the Texas A&M program, leading the Aggies to two NCAA appearances in three seasons and a 31-17 overall record. That -- along with his reputation as a tireless worker and talented recruiter -- netted him an offer to replace Tubby Smith in one of college basketball's most prestigious positions.

Off the court, some of Gillispie's tactics drew the ire of his fellow coaches. Accepting a verbal commitment from an eighth grader and using NCAA loopholes to move "midnight madness" generated strongly-worded press releases from the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

But more than any controversy, his won-loss record was his undoing. His tenure with the Wildcats got off to a rough start, with early-season losses to Gardner Webb and San Diego State. But the 'Cats rebounded to make yet another NCAA Tournament -- and might have been a tougher out if freshman forward Patrick Patterson and guard Jodie Meeks hadn't suffered significant injuries.

Year two in Lexington went less well -- with an 8-8 record in the SEC and a quarterfinal loss in the NIT.

He was fired on March 27, 2009.

Since his ouster, Gillispie has continued to make waves. He filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the university in May, and in August was arrested for driving under the influence - his third such arrest since 1999.

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Career Blocks Leaders

A lot of impressive names on the all-time list for blocked shots. Tim Duncan. Emeka Okafor. Alonzo Mourning. But the most prolific shot-blocker in NCAA Division I history is... who?

1. Wojciech Mydra - 535

Louisiana Monroe: 1998-2002
Mydra, from tiny Louisiana-Monroe, tops a list of guys who went on to long and productive NBA careers. He had aspirations of being the first Polish player to reach the NBA, but has spent his entire professional career to date in the European league.

2. Adonal Foyle - 492

Colgate: 1994-97
We're willing to give Foyle extra credit -- he's second on the list, but when he left school he was first overall, and he reached that point in just three seasons. He's had an eleven-year NBA career to date, serving last season as primary backup to Dwight Howard with the Orlando Magic.

3. Tim Duncan - 481

Wake Forest: 1993-97
Timmy is also tops on the career rebounding list.

4. Alonzo Mourning - 453

Georgetown: 1988-92

5. Ken Johnson - 444

Ohio State: 1997-2001

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Knicks Sign Baron Davis

The Knicks have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with veteran point guard Baron Davis, the team announced today. Terms of the deal have not been released, but Howard Beck of the New York Times is reporting that Davis signed for the $1.4 million veteran's minimum, and not the $2.5 million room exception.

Interim general manager Glen Grunwald is expected to offer a contract to forward James Posey using the exception, but several other teams - notably Boston and Miami - have expressed an interest in Posey.

Davis will theoretically replace Chauncey Billups as the Knicks' starting point guard - but when that happens is anyone's guess. Davis is dealing with a herniated disc in his lower back. Depending on who you believe, Davis' Knick debut could be 8-10 weeks away... or come in mid-January. (I'm leaning towards January personally... I have a sneaking suspicion that the severity of Davis' back injury was exaggerated as a way to ensure that he'd slip through amnesty waivers. Don't be surprised if he makes a miraculous recovery by MLK Day.)

When he does join the team, he'll allow the Knicks to shift Toney Douglas to a sixth man/bench scorer role, to which he's probably better suited.

How much will he improve the Knicks this season? Moke Hamilton of SheridanHoops.com says New York is now the favorite to win the Atlantic Division.

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Shoe Review: Ektio Wraptor

I tend to twist my ankle getting out of bed in the morning... which makes me a perfect candidate to test-drive Ektio's "Wraptor" shoe. Like their entire line, the Wraptor is specifically designed to prevent ankle injuries.

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Chuck Hayes Back in Action

Just days after his four-year, $21 million contract with the Sacramento Kings was voided due to a failed physical, forward/center Chuck Hayes has been cleared to resume his basketball career. An team at the Cleveland Clinic conducted an exhaustive series of tests and informed Hayes "he can continue to play basketball without any concerns."

The question is, "where?"

Hayes is now a free agent, able to negotiate with any team he chooses. But very few have the salary cap room to offer a deal comparable to the one voided by the Kings. His first choice is reportedly a return to Sacramento, but it's not clear, at this point, if the team will be willing to accommodate.

If he's willing to sign for a lesser amount to play for a contender, I suspect quite a few would be happy to make an offer.

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Chuck Hayes Fails Physical, Contract with Kings Voided

Forward Chuck Hayes' four-year, $21 million contract with the Sacramento Kings has been voided due to a failed physical.

The situation is very similar to that of Celtics forward Jeff Green; an abnormality was discovered during his stress test, and after further examinations. a decision was made to void the contract. But that may be where the similarities end. Green is expected to make a full recovery and return to the NBA next season; we can't say that about Hayes because we don't yet know the nature of the problem. I'm hoping whatever ails Hayes is treatable and that he'll be back quickly; it's hard not to admire a player who works as hard as he does.

From a basketball perspective, Hayes' absence leaves a significant void in Sacramento's frontcourt, where he was expected to log significant playing time alongside DeMarcus Cousins. JJ Hickson - acquired from Cleveland just before the NBA draft - will have to step up now. And there's a very good chance that the Kings will look to bring back free agent center Samuel Dalembert now; the Rockets were reportedly interested in Dalembert, but it appears they are backing off at this point.

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Lopez Injury Could Be Catastrophic for Nets

Nets center Brook Lopez will be sidelined for the next two months or so with a stress fracture in his foot. But the impact of this injury could hurt the franchise for far longer.

Lopez has a stress fracture in the fifth metatarsal in his right foot. He'll have surgery on December 23 and, if all goes to plan, should be ready to play some time in February. His absence until then will hurt the Nets' record, certainly, but the team was almost certainly headed for the 2012 draft lottery even with a healthy center.

What the injury really hurts is Lopez-as-trade-bait. A foot injury like this one will raise the reddest of red flags with any team thinking of acquiring Lopez this season - think Yao Ming. The one big advantage the Nets held over the Lakers in the quest for Dwight Howard was the fact that Lopez, to this point in his career, had been far more durable than Andrew Bynum. Some may disagree, but I suspect general manager Billy King's chances of acquiring Howard decreased significantly with today's announcement.

And what if the Nets are unable to land Howard? It seems just as reasonable to suspect that Deron Williams will be a lot less amenable to a long-term deal if he spends this season watching potential assists bounce off the hands of Shelden Williams and Johan Petro. Williams could walk as a free agent or - worse - demand a trade in March.

In that scenario, both Williams and Howard could land with a team like Dallas... leaving the Nets to open their shiny new Brooklyn arena with a couple of lottery picks and very little proven talent.

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