bobinator said:
I think what the gregbot meant, in a rare moment of actual clarity, is that they both tend to let players play through mistakes and try to find their own way on the court. I actually agree with that, they're both on the high end of the "how long does it take for them to call a timeout when things are going the other way" spectrum.
I think they both also spend a lot more time than most coaches trying to build team chemistry, though why they do it isn't the same. Buzz is trying to build a team that's bigger than the sum of its parts. Cal is trying to do it because they have so much roster turnover each season that he has to build team accountability from scratch practically every season so he's trying to figure out in a hurry who his leaders are and which buttons to push.
I think the idea that Cal can't coach is ridiculous. He's not some kind of X's and O's mastermind, but when you consider every aspect of coaching he's been one of the best in the game for a very long time.
I guess I'm thinking of the last years of Calipari at UK. There are numerous articles on his players' minutes distributions being determined by handlers. That kills any kind of chemistry.
And Calipari is not a good coach. He is an EXCELLENT recruiter. You could say that Coach Fisher created the potential of the one-and-done with the Fab 5. However, Calipari institutionalized the OAD strategy at Kentucky. That advantage lasted a few years, then others adopted it and Calipari lost the recruiting battles.
Once he lost on the top recruits, he had to actually coach to win. I think his last Final Four was 2015.
Buzz is the opposite of Calipari. He is a (much) better coach, then a recruiter. I can't think of a bigger adjustment then having to come up with a new game plan after Julius Marbles screwed up… and he made it to the Sweet 16.
Calipari? Good recruiter. Williams? Good coach. Similar? I guess they both wear a whistle around their neck at practice.