UCLA's Mick Cronin gives cheeky response on rumored Kentucky job interest

09/04/2024 00:52

UCLA basketball coach Mick Cronin appeared on The Herd today to discuss the national championship game between UConn and Purdue, as well as John Calipari leaving Kentucky for the Arkansas job, and he had a funny response to being asked what he would do if he were to receive a call regarding the Kentucky head coaching job.

“If they called me tomorrow to be their coach, I’d turn left on sunset,” Mick Cronin said on The Herd.

Is #MickThePick ?
UCLA HC Mick Cronin was on the @TheHerd & was asked about Coach Cal leaving UK
Cowherd: " What If They Called You Tomorrow?"
Cronin: "If They Called Me Tomorrow To Be Their Coach, Uh I'd Turn Left On Sunset…" pic.twitter.com/UcfblmO3cX

— 35KYSports (@35KYSportsMedia) April 8, 2024

Cronin certainly came back with an interesting response to that direct question from Cowherd. He also said that the Kentucky basketball fanbase is “second to none.” He then went on to talk about the dynamics of the Kentucky head coaching job and what could have motivated Calipari to leave.

“Some of these jobs, the expectations are so high that the magnitude of the job, you can’t feed the beast forever,” Cronin said. “When you build the beat early, cause John did he had unbelievable success, and when you can’t repeat that, it’s really hard. It’s just a hard existence. So my guess would be that basically it was time for change, was his mindset. I read something this morning that he’s friends with the Tyson Chicken guy, I mean that’s all speculation.”

For whatever reason, Calipari decided that it was time to leave Kentucky after 15 years. It ends a run that for the majority of the time brought success, despite the disappointing last couple of years. Only he truly knows the reason for leaving. Cronin’s explanation would make a lot of sense, however. Calipari will move onto Arkansas to coach the men’s basketball team there, and is seemingly getting a lot of support when it comes to NIL. Kentucky will likely try to land an experienced and proven coach to replace Calipari.

Does Mick Cronin make sense as the next Kentucky basketball coach?

Cronin’s comments are intriguing. It was a sly way of answering a question for Cronin. It remains to be seen whether or not Kentucky will reach out to him regarding the job opening.

As Cronin mentioned, he grew up 60 miles from Kentucky’s campus. He also coached in the state of Kentucky before with Murray State in his first three seasons as a head coach. He then moved on to be the head coach at Cincinnati, where he spent 13 seasons and had a lot of success, but did had some disappointing performances in March. In 2019, he moved out west to take the UCLA job, which is one of the blue blood programs in college basketball.

Would it make sense for Cronin to go back to a geographical area he has more experience with for another blue blood program in Kentucky? Maybe so. However, there is a buyout that would cost Kentucky $16 million, according to UCLA Wire.

Cronin was rumored as a candidate for the Louisville job, before Pat Kelsey landed the job. Kentucky is another level, and arguably the most desirable job in college basketball. There was some buzz that Kentucky was willing to pay Calipari’s buyout, which was going to be $33 million, but the school does not owe that to him now as he left on his own.

That gives Kentucky a lot more flexibility. Given the ability to pay a massive buyout for Calipari, paying $16 million for Cronin’s buyout seems possible. It just remains to be seen whether or not there is interest from Kentucky’s side of things.

Other names like Dan Hurley, Billy Donovan and Jay Wright have been floated as longshot possibilities, while Nate Oats and Scott Drew have been speculated as coaches who could very much be in play for Kentucky. Cronin has a long resume and could be a good fit at Kentucky, but it remains to be see whether or not the school would have interest in him.

The post UCLA’s Mick Cronin gives cheeky response on rumored Kentucky job interest appeared first on ClutchPoints.