Quote:Los Angeles Lakers assistant Mark Madsen has been hired as the new men's basketball coach at Utah Valley, sources told ESPN.

Madsen flew to Utah on Sunday, where he is expected to meet with his new players on campus Sunday, sources said.

A formal announcement of Madsen's hiring is planned on Sunday, sources said.

Madsen, 43, has been a recognizable fixture on the West's basketball landscape for years, including as a member of two Lakers championship teams and later as an assistant coach under Byron Scott and Luke Walton.

Madsen's coaching career has included six seasons on the Lakers staff, a year as the Lakers G League head coach and a season as a college assistant at his alma mater, Stanford.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketb...head-coach

(04-14-2019 12:44 PM)RandomFan Wrote:  

Quote:Los Angeles Lakers assistant Mark Madsen has been hired as the new men's basketball coach at Utah Valley, sources told ESPN.

Madsen flew to Utah on Sunday, where he is expected to meet with his new players on campus Sunday, sources said.

A formal announcement of Madsen's hiring is planned on Sunday, sources said.

Madsen, 43, has been a recognizable fixture on the West's basketball landscape for years, including as a member of two Lakers championship teams and later as an assistant coach under Byron Scott and Luke Walton.

Madsen's coaching career has included six seasons on the Lakers staff, a year as the Lakers G League head coach and a season as a college assistant at his alma mater, Stanford.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketb...head-coach

An amazingly good hire! I think that any UVU player that is thinking of transferring should reconsider. Madsen, who is a Mormon, just brings a lot of experience and credibility with him, from his playing experience to his coaching experience.

Yes, an amazing hire. He is not just a Coach... he is a Linguist, a Baker, and a Dancer. He is the best thing since sliced bread. Maybe he can teach his team the Madsen dance? Well, hopefully he is a better coach than dancer.

Highlight video: Just MADSEN

(04-14-2019 02:34 PM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(04-14-2019 12:44 PM)RandomFan Wrote:  

Quote:Los Angeles Lakers assistant Mark Madsen has been hired as the new men's basketball coach at Utah Valley, sources told ESPN.

Madsen flew to Utah on Sunday, where he is expected to meet with his new players on campus Sunday, sources said.

A formal announcement of Madsen's hiring is planned on Sunday, sources said.

Madsen, 43, has been a recognizable fixture on the West's basketball landscape for years, including as a member of two Lakers championship teams and later as an assistant coach under Byron Scott and Luke Walton.

Madsen's coaching career has included six seasons on the Lakers staff, a year as the Lakers G League head coach and a season as a college assistant at his alma mater, Stanford.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketb...head-coach

An amazingly good hire! I think that any UVU player that is thinking of transferring should reconsider. Madsen, who is a Mormon, just brings a lot of experience and credibility with him, from his playing experience to his coaching experience.

What does him being mormon do for guys who are on the fence about leaving who aren't mormon? Mad Dog is an extremely smart guy and played for a big school and hung around the NBA as a player and assistant coach. Does he follow up and continue what Pope build from the Hunsaker foundation? It will be fun to watch how he does at UVU. Maybe we see UVU be a gateway for players from Spain.

He will eventually go from there to BYU, it seems like UVU is a BYU farm team.


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NMSU has a former Laker assistant coach on it's staff. I think UVU could have done better.

(04-14-2019 02:45 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  Yes, an amazing hire. He is not just a Coach... he is a Linguist, a Baker, and a Dancer. He is the best thing since sliced bread. Maybe he can teach his team the Madsen dance? Well, hopefully he is a better coach than dancer.

Highlight video: Just MADSEN

It's an amazing hire because I did not think UVU could hire someone like Madsen. He was a star at Stanford, a first round pick in the NBA, a two-time NBA champion and has been an assistant in the NBA for the last seven seasons. He was a assistant at Stanford for one season under Johnny Dawkins, before the Lakers called. He was also in the final four for the BYU job that eventually went to Pope.

Wyatt Lowell, the freshman of the year in the WAC, is a Mormon. Jake Toolson, nephew of Danny Ainge, is a Mormon. I think Madsen can help convince these kids and others that the environment created under Pope will not change. Madsen can bring an energy and experience that might not only win a few more games, but also help these kids in any basketball career they may have after UVU. He can also show them that you can have other talents besides just being a good basketball player.

One more thing. Unlike Dan Majerle, I think he is a better fit for college basketball.

Madsen has his work cut out for him. Pope won 26 games and had 300 fans in a 8500 seat arena for their CBI game. Pope couldn’t wake up a fanbase with 26 wins not sure Madsen can unless he plays the Majerle hype card.

(04-14-2019 08:04 PM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(04-14-2019 02:45 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  Yes, an amazing hire. He is not just a Coach... he is a Linguist, a Baker, and a Dancer. He is the best thing since sliced bread. Maybe he can teach his team the Madsen dance? Well, hopefully he is a better coach than dancer.

Highlight video: Just MADSEN

It's an amazing hire because I did not think UVU could hire someone like Madsen. He was a star at Stanford, a first round pick in the NBA, a two-time NBA champion and has been an assistant in the NBA for the last seven seasons. He was a assistant at Stanford for one season under Johnny Dawkins, before the Lakers called. He was also in the final four for the BYU job that eventually went to Pope.

Wyatt Lowell, the freshman of the year in the WAC, is a Mormon. Jake Toolson, nephew of Danny Ainge, is a Mormon. I think Madsen can help convince these kids and others that the environment created under Pope will not change. Madsen can bring an energy and experience that might not only win a few more games, but also help these kids in any basketball career they may have after UVU. He can also show them that you can have other talents besides just being a good basketball player.

One more thing. Unlike Dan Majerle, I think he is a better fit for college basketball.

Toolson has decided to transfer.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Almost all modern NBA guys with no (or one year) college coaching experience who immediately become college HCs have failed. The odds are stacked against Madsen.

Yet every SLC area D1 school seemingly overachieves as a program based somewhere like Utah. It's already, as the 40-something most populated state, the ONLY state with more D1 schools than all other levels of college athletics combined. Only DC, tied 4:4, is close.

Point being, UVU doesn't have football which is the focus of the other 6 Utah schools (including Dixie, which is why I don't see why some think they're automatically going to succeed like CBU & GCU, they're just a clone of SUU with easier academics) and that helps the Wolverines overachieve in basketball. Can Madsen work? Absolutely, and D1 UVU has had immense success with both HCs and as a decade being independent. But his lack of history in college is interesting.

Assuming Toolson, Steele, and more leave though, it's going to be a rough stretch in Orem.

In 2022, I think we will either see UVU as a 20-win program again and Madsen hired elsewhere, or UVU will have stagnated as a 10-15 win program and change is needed for the first time. Boom or bust hire, and not a "safe hire" like Pope was.

Also, I could be wrong since I'm not Mormon, but like every other religion I'm confused as to how his faith has so much to do with his players faith. I highly doubt any other coach at a non-Mormon school is going to take issue or have no way to connect with UVU Mormon players. Maybe it matters to some of them, but I find it hard to believe that the coach being Mormon himself is a major factor to most players. Do they start living together and going to the same church or something? If a players mission is over, I just don't see how it would matter so intensly to majority of players that if affects where they play as a top reason

(04-14-2019 09:45 PM)dancingNMSUaggie Wrote:  Madsen has his work cut out for him. Pope won 26 games and had 300 fans in a 8500 seat arena for their CBI game. Pope couldn’t wake up a fanbase with 26 wins not sure Madsen can unless he plays the Majerle hype card.

Dude, UVU averaged 2K-3K fans per game or so. It's the CBI (where practically every teams fan base stopped caring) against a 13-21 Cal State Northridge team, not even the NIT.

Freaking DePaul could barely get 1,000+ to their CBI games.

(04-15-2019 12:42 AM)SeattleVandals Wrote:  Almost all modern NBA guys with no (or one year) college coaching experience who immediately become college HCs have failed. The odds are stacked against Madsen.

Yet every SLC area D1 school seemingly overachieves as a program based somewhere like Utah. It's already, as the 40-something most populated state, the ONLY state with more D1 schools than all other levels of college athletics combined. Only DC, tied 4:4, is close.

Point being, UVU doesn't have football which is the focus of the other 6 Utah schools (including Dixie, which is why I don't see why some think they're automatically going to succeed like CBU & GCU, they're just a clone of SUU with easier academics) and that helps the Wolverines overachieve in basketball. Can Madsen work? Absolutely, and D1 UVU has had immense success with both HCs and as a decade being independent. But his lack of history in college is interesting.

Assuming Toolson, Steele, and more leave though, it's going to be a rough stretch in Orem.

In 2022, I think we will either see UVU as a 20-win program again and Madsen hired elsewhere, or UVU will have stagnated as a 10-15 win program and change is needed for the first time. Boom or bust hire, and not a "safe hire" like Pope was.

Also, I could be wrong since I'm not Mormon, but like every other religion I'm confused as to how his faith has so much to do with his players faith. I highly doubt any other coach at a non-Mormon school is going to take issue or have no way to connect with UVU Mormon players. Maybe it matters to some of them, but I find it hard to believe that the coach being Mormon himself is a major factor to most players. Do they start living together and going to the same church or something? If a players mission is over, I just don't see how it would matter so intensly to majority of players that if affects where they play as a top reason

With the possible exception of BYU, I don't think hiring a Mormon faith Head Coach is a requirement. But based on the local Utah HS talent and the large Mormon community, it is probably an advantage for a men's basketball program and its coach if they're emphasis is to sign local HS prospects; and prospects near LDS missions overseas. However, I don't believe Utah's Larry Krystkowiak and Utah State's Craig Smith are of the Mormon faith and I don't think its hurt their recruiting any. That being said, being located in Orem near Provo, I think Utah Valley tries to follow many of BYU's athletics operations and hiring practices. Nevertheless, we will see if Madsen's hiring will help with retaining many of Pope's recruits. And, in the future, if he will be able to tap into the local HS recruiting scene.

(04-15-2019 03:24 AM)AuzGrams Wrote:  

(04-14-2019 09:45 PM)dancingNMSUaggie Wrote:  Madsen has his work cut out for him. Pope won 26 games and had 300 fans in a 8500 seat arena for their CBI game. Pope couldn’t wake up a fanbase with 26 wins not sure Madsen can unless he plays the Majerle hype card.

Dude, UVU averaged 2K-3K fans per game or so. It's the CBI (where practically every teams fan base stopped caring) against a 13-21 Cal State Northridge team, not even the NIT.

Freaking DePaul could barely get 1,000+ to their CBI games.

Sure they did. If you watch any of their games all you see are empty chairs. UVU has probably 100 hardcore fans. Pope couldn't get out of there fast enough.

(04-15-2019 08:42 AM)dancingNMSUaggie Wrote:  

(04-15-2019 03:24 AM)AuzGrams Wrote:  

(04-14-2019 09:45 PM)dancingNMSUaggie Wrote:  Madsen has his work cut out for him. Pope won 26 games and had 300 fans in a 8500 seat arena for their CBI game. Pope couldn’t wake up a fanbase with 26 wins not sure Madsen can unless he plays the Majerle hype card.

Dude, UVU averaged 2K-3K fans per game or so. It's the CBI (where practically every teams fan base stopped caring) against a 13-21 Cal State Northridge team, not even the NIT.

Freaking DePaul could barely get 1,000+ to their CBI games.

Sure they did. If you watch any of their games all you see are empty chairs. UVU has probably 100 hardcore fans. Pope couldn't get out of there fast enough.

This is factual. While there will always be a difference between announced attendance (i.e. tickets sold) and the number of people physically present, it seemed like a dramatic difference at various times throughout the season for UVU.

(04-14-2019 10:14 PM)Jjoey52 Wrote:  

(04-14-2019 08:04 PM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(04-14-2019 02:45 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  Yes, an amazing hire. He is not just a Coach... he is a Linguist, a Baker, and a Dancer. He is the best thing since sliced bread. Maybe he can teach his team the Madsen dance? Well, hopefully he is a better coach than dancer.

Highlight video: Just MADSEN

It's an amazing hire because I did not think UVU could hire someone like Madsen. He was a star at Stanford, a first round pick in the NBA, a two-time NBA champion and has been an assistant in the NBA for the last seven seasons. He was a assistant at Stanford for one season under Johnny Dawkins, before the Lakers called. He was also in the final four for the BYU job that eventually went to Pope.

Wyatt Lowell, the freshman of the year in the WAC, is a Mormon. Jake Toolson, nephew of Danny Ainge, is a Mormon. I think Madsen can help convince these kids and others that the environment created under Pope will not change. Madsen can bring an energy and experience that might not only win a few more games, but also help these kids in any basketball career they may have after UVU. He can also show them that you can have other talents besides just being a good basketball player.

One more thing. Unlike Dan Majerle, I think he is a better fit for college basketball.

Toolson has decided to transfer.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Doesn't mean he can't change his mind and stay at UVU.

(04-15-2019 12:42 AM)SeattleVandals Wrote:  Almost all modern NBA guys with no (or one year) college coaching experience who immediately become college HCs have failed. The odds are stacked against Madsen.

Yet every SLC area D1 school seemingly overachieves as a program based somewhere like Utah. It's already, as the 40-something most populated state, the ONLY state with more D1 schools than all other levels of college athletics combined. Only DC, tied 4:4, is close.

Point being, UVU doesn't have football which is the focus of the other 6 Utah schools (including Dixie, which is why I don't see why some think they're automatically going to succeed like CBU & GCU, they're just a clone of SUU with easier academics) and that helps the Wolverines overachieve in basketball. Can Madsen work? Absolutely, and D1 UVU has had immense success with both HCs and as a decade being independent. But his lack of history in college is interesting.

Assuming Toolson, Steele, and more leave though, it's going to be a rough stretch in Orem.

In 2022, I think we will either see UVU as a 20-win program again and Madsen hired elsewhere, or UVU will have stagnated as a 10-15 win program and change is needed for the first time. Boom or bust hire, and not a "safe hire" like Pope was.

Also, I could be wrong since I'm not Mormon, but like every other religion I'm confused as to how his faith has so much to do with his players faith. I highly doubt any other coach at a non-Mormon school is going to take issue or have no way to connect with UVU Mormon players. Maybe it matters to some of them, but I find it hard to believe that the coach being Mormon himself is a major factor to most players. Do they start living together and going to the same church or something? If a players mission is over, I just don't see how it would matter so intensly to majority of players that if affects where they play as a top reason

First, an NBA coach can be successful at the D1 level if he can recruit and develop talent. The recruiting is the hardest part. On the other hand, a college coach can be successful in the NBA if he has a good GM and organization that gets him the right talent and supports him. It is just coaching, but you need the talent.

Madsen is Mormon and that should help with the recruitment of Mormon athletes, but that is not the reason to hire him. You hire him because he is the best coach for the UVU job. He just happens to be Mormon. For Madsen, his parents and his in-laws live in Utah County, so that is one more reason to want the job.

Toolson may or may not leave. As a grad transfer, if he can find the right program for one season, I think it is the right move. Matt Mooney had a heck of season with Texas Tech after transferring from South Dakota as a graduate transfer. I would think that Uncle Danny is giving him some advice on the best options, which might include staying at UVU.

UVU does not want to lose Wyatt Lowell and I don't think a transfer for him is a good idea. He was a four start recruit who sat out two years for a mission. He was the WAC freshman of the year this season. Sitting out another year is probably not a great idea and I think he would be a good fit with Madsen. I think Madsen will make him a tougher player.

(04-15-2019 12:29 PM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(04-15-2019 12:42 AM)SeattleVandals Wrote:  Almost all modern NBA guys with no (or one year) college coaching experience who immediately become college HCs have failed. The odds are stacked against Madsen.

Yet every SLC area D1 school seemingly overachieves as a program based somewhere like Utah. It's already, as the 40-something most populated state, the ONLY state with more D1 schools than all other levels of college athletics combined. Only DC, tied 4:4, is close.

Point being, UVU doesn't have football which is the focus of the other 6 Utah schools (including Dixie, which is why I don't see why some think they're automatically going to succeed like CBU & GCU, they're just a clone of SUU with easier academics) and that helps the Wolverines overachieve in basketball. Can Madsen work? Absolutely, and D1 UVU has had immense success with both HCs and as a decade being independent. But his lack of history in college is interesting.

Assuming Toolson, Steele, and more leave though, it's going to be a rough stretch in Orem.

In 2022, I think we will either see UVU as a 20-win program again and Madsen hired elsewhere, or UVU will have stagnated as a 10-15 win program and change is needed for the first time. Boom or bust hire, and not a "safe hire" like Pope was.

Also, I could be wrong since I'm not Mormon, but like every other religion I'm confused as to how his faith has so much to do with his players faith. I highly doubt any other coach at a non-Mormon school is going to take issue or have no way to connect with UVU Mormon players. Maybe it matters to some of them, but I find it hard to believe that the coach being Mormon himself is a major factor to most players. Do they start living together and going to the same church or something? If a players mission is over, I just don't see how it would matter so intensly to majority of players that if affects where they play as a top reason

First, an NBA coach can be successful at the D1 level if he can recruit and develop talent. The recruiting is the hardest part. On the other hand, a college coach can be successful in the NBA if he has a good GM and organization that gets him the right talent and supports him. It is just coaching, but you need the talent.

Madsen is Mormon and that should help with the recruitment of Mormon athletes, but that is not the reason to hire him. You hire him because he is the best coach for the UVU job. He just happens to be Mormon. For Madsen, his parents and his in-laws live in Utah County, so that is one more reason to want the job.

Toolson may or may not leave. As a grad transfer, if he can find the right program for one season, I think it is the right move. Matt Mooney had a heck of season with Texas Tech after transferring from South Dakota as a graduate transfer. I would think that Uncle Danny is giving him some advice on the best options, which might include staying at UVU.

UVU does not want to lose Wyatt Lowell and I don't think a transfer for him is a good idea. He was a four start recruit who sat out two years for a mission. He was the WAC freshman of the year this season. Sitting out another year is probably not a great idea and I think he would be a good fit with Madsen. I think Madsen will make him a tougher player.

With Steele leaving UVU will be fine with their post players but WAC POY and his 4.6 ppg and 2.8 rpg. This was a bad freshman class for the WAC in total.

(04-15-2019 01:38 PM)Lopes87 Wrote:  

(04-15-2019 12:29 PM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(04-15-2019 12:42 AM)SeattleVandals Wrote:  Almost all modern NBA guys with no (or one year) college coaching experience who immediately become college HCs have failed. The odds are stacked against Madsen.

Yet every SLC area D1 school seemingly overachieves as a program based somewhere like Utah. It's already, as the 40-something most populated state, the ONLY state with more D1 schools than all other levels of college athletics combined. Only DC, tied 4:4, is close.

Point being, UVU doesn't have football which is the focus of the other 6 Utah schools (including Dixie, which is why I don't see why some think they're automatically going to succeed like CBU & GCU, they're just a clone of SUU with easier academics) and that helps the Wolverines overachieve in basketball. Can Madsen work? Absolutely, and D1 UVU has had immense success with both HCs and as a decade being independent. But his lack of history in college is interesting.

Assuming Toolson, Steele, and more leave though, it's going to be a rough stretch in Orem.

In 2022, I think we will either see UVU as a 20-win program again and Madsen hired elsewhere, or UVU will have stagnated as a 10-15 win program and change is needed for the first time. Boom or bust hire, and not a "safe hire" like Pope was.

Also, I could be wrong since I'm not Mormon, but like every other religion I'm confused as to how his faith has so much to do with his players faith. I highly doubt any other coach at a non-Mormon school is going to take issue or have no way to connect with UVU Mormon players. Maybe it matters to some of them, but I find it hard to believe that the coach being Mormon himself is a major factor to most players. Do they start living together and going to the same church or something? If a players mission is over, I just don't see how it would matter so intensly to majority of players that if affects where they play as a top reason

First, an NBA coach can be successful at the D1 level if he can recruit and develop talent. The recruiting is the hardest part. On the other hand, a college coach can be successful in the NBA if he has a good GM and organization that gets him the right talent and supports him. It is just coaching, but you need the talent.

Madsen is Mormon and that should help with the recruitment of Mormon athletes, but that is not the reason to hire him. You hire him because he is the best coach for the UVU job. He just happens to be Mormon. For Madsen, his parents and his in-laws live in Utah County, so that is one more reason to want the job.

Toolson may or may not leave. As a grad transfer, if he can find the right program for one season, I think it is the right move. Matt Mooney had a heck of season with Texas Tech after transferring from South Dakota as a graduate transfer. I would think that Uncle Danny is giving him some advice on the best options, which might include staying at UVU.

UVU does not want to lose Wyatt Lowell and I don't think a transfer for him is a good idea. He was a four start recruit who sat out two years for a mission. He was the WAC freshman of the year this season. Sitting out another year is probably not a great idea and I think he would be a good fit with Madsen. I think Madsen will make him a tougher player.

With Steele leaving UVU will be fine with their post players but WAC POY and his 4.6 ppg and 2.8 rpg. This was a bad freshman class for the WAC in total.

I will give you two games that show the upside and the need for improvement in Wyatt Lowell. In two games against NMSU, totaling 40 minutes, Lowell hit 8 of 10 three pointers. The guy can shoot. In those two games, he had three rebounds and zero assists, steals and blocks. He is a 6'10" shooting guard with an overall game that might be described as "very soft." Almost all of his points come from three point shots. So the challenge for Madsen is to make him tougher. He needs to develop a low post game, improve the rebounding and defense. I think Madsen can help him in those areas.

Wyatt Lowell Is Roberts Blumbergs.....

(04-15-2019 05:00 PM)Lopes87 Wrote:  Wyatt Lowell Is Roberts Blumbergs.....

Not really. Lowell is a much better perimeter shooter, a good ball handler for his size, and he doesn't play tentatively. Lowell could be an All-WAC performer given time. Blumbergs has talent but he lack what Majerle needs; toughness & rebounding. With GCU already starting a center who doesn't rebound well or play good post defense, Majerle can't afford to play Blumbergs in the same line up; as a stretch 4 who also can't rebound and has questionable lateral quickness defending the perimeter. UVU has the luxury of playing Lowell because they have Steele and Harward to anchor the post both offensively and defensively. Yes, that was a slight on 2018 preseason WAC POTY selection Alessandro Lever. Lever is soft on defense. And, when he actually tries to defend the paint, he racks up fouls like they are going out of style... and the occasional temper tantrum; both sending him to the bench.