I had a chance to visit with a bunch of Big Ten coaches this week as the conference held its annual spring meetings in southern California. It was nice to be able to spend time with the likes of Chris Collins, Dusty May and Brad Underwood in a relaxed setting by the ocean. I was especially intrigued to see how recent additions like Buzz Williams and Darian DeVries mingled with their new colleagues. It was a healthy reminder that for all the cutthroat competition that defines their profession, these guys can still be friends — even good friends.

From what I can tell, this level of camaraderie exists far more in basketball than football. The reason, I believe, is that football does not have anything that is analogous to basketball’s recruiting circuit, wherein coaches spend countless hours at the same airports, rental car counters, restaurants, bars (especially bars) and gymnasiums, watching the same players do the same things over and over again. Yes, it’s competitive, but it also affords lots of hang time to talk about things other than basketball. It’s where relationships are formed, not only with fellow coaches but annoying media types like yours truly.

Speaking of which, for all the chatter that coaches are ignoring high school recruiting to focus solely on the transfer portal (where newly hired NC State coach Will Wade scored a really good one on Thursday), rest assured that where there are players, there are coaches. High school recruiting is still very much alive and well. Our Alex Squadron and Sam Lance recently filed a pair of dispatches from prominent events, and with several more evaluation periods coming up the next two months, that process will accelerate. Between that and the runup to the NBA Draft in late June, there is still plenty for us to cover, and for you to read about.

One programming note: Hoops HQ will not send you our regular Monday email due to the Memorial Day holiday. We will be back midweek with our usual Wednesday email. I hope you enjoy the long weekend — and spend some time thinking about and honoring the holiday’s meaning. Thanks as always for your support of Hoops HQ. — Seth

DOUG GOTTLIEB’S DIARY: WHAT I’VE LEARNED IN MY FIRST YEAR AS A HEAD COACH

By Doug Gottlieb

Hello again, Hoops HQ subscribers! We just passed the one-year anniversary of my accepting the job of head coach at Green Bay. It has been the quickest, most challenging, most rewarding, most stressful year of my life, without a doubt.

Would I do it all over again? Absolutely.

One of the biggest things I learned — or re-learned — over the past 12 months is that any job is about who you work for, not what you’re doing or how much money you’re making.

Every coach is going to tell you, “My president and athletic director are the best.” And then behind closed doors, they’ll be quick to criticize them. I can assure you that with every loss, with every tough decision, my president Mike Alexander has been there for me. He knows that we’re doing it the right way. When I benched Anthony Roy and we lost to Cleveland State, Mike came into my office and said, “I just came in to give you a hug and give you support. You’re doing the right thing. You have to hold kids accountable.” You name the situation, Mike has both listened to me and given me great advice.

My athletic director, Josh Moon, wants to do something truly special and dynamic at Green Bay, and he trusts my vision to make that happen.

On a personal note, I learned that I should probably say less at press conferences and to the media in general. My desire is generally to be an open book, but I think there does come a point where if you talk enough, something can be taken out of context or you can overexplain something that doesn’t need to be explained. People don’t need to know everything that goes on in your program.

I learned that no matter how good you think you are….

GEORGIA COACH IS BULLISH ON HIS NEW-LOOK BULLDOGS

By Alex Squadron

There is a buzz around Georgia men’s basketball, one that's been building since coach Mike White took over the program in 2022. It reached a new high during the 2024-25 campaign, as the Bulldogs finished 20-13 and made their first NCAA Tournament appearance in a decade. “There’s a lot of excitement around here,” White tells Hoops HQ.

The Bulldogs have improved every season under White but doing so again in 2025-26 will be a major challenge, considering the program’s heavy roster turnover and the level of competition in the SEC. Gone are centerpieces Asa Newell, a 6-foot-11 freshman forward who declared for the NBA draft (where he is likely to be a lottery pick) after leading the Bulldogs in scoring and rebounding, and Silas Demary Jr., a 6-foot-5 sophomore guard who transferred to UConn. Georgia lost two additional starters in guard Tyrin Lawrence (out of eligibility) and forward RJ Godfrey (transferred to Clemson), as well as sixth man Dakota Leffew (out of eligibility).

A handful of players return to the program, including starting wing Blue Cain, a 6-foot-5 sophomore who averaged 9.6 points per game, 6-foot-11 freshman center Somto Cyril and 6-foot-9 sophomore forward Dylan James. Building around that nucleus, White hit the transfer portal determined to address two areas where the Bulldogs have struggled: perimeter shooting and assist-to-turnover ratio. “I’m sick of not being able to shoot it better,” White explains. This past year, the Bulldogs ranked 236th in Division I in three-point percentage (32.9 percent), 271st in three-pointers per game (6.9) “And also the turnover problem...we finished at about one-to-one (assist-to-turnover ratio), which is just not getting it.”

With those deficiencies in mind, White secured commitments from five players: 6-foot-9 freshman forward Kanon Catchings (BYU), 5-foot-11 sophomore guard Marcus “Smurf” Millender (UTSA), 6-foot-3 junior guard Justin Bailey (Wofford), 6-foot-3 sophomore guard Jordan Ross (Saint Mary’s) and 6-foot-1 freshman guard Jeremiah Wilkinson (California).

“They all can score it,” White says about his transfer class. "We ought to look like a completely different...."

‍