Alexander? Jackson? Dawkins? Mondro?

Having fired coach Ray McCallum and with just two days until the recruiting dead period is over, Detroit needs to move quickly to hire its new head men’s basketball coach. 

Here are some potential candidates:

  • Bacari Alexander, assistant coach Michigan. Alexander, the favorite, played and then coached under Perry Watson at UDM. Alexander is in charge of the Big Men at U of M and develops defensive strategy for the Wolverines. He has had success at Michigan, and is a guy who will be the opposite of the quite McCallum. He is full of passion and fire. If Athletic Director Robert Vowels plays his cards right, Alexander’s days in A2 could be over soon.
  • Jermaine Jackson. JJ was hired by Vowels last season and was the only assistant to be retained from last season's basketball coaching staff. JJ played in the NBA for quite a few years and then played professionally overseas before coaching at the high school level. Jackson is well liked by the players, and he has access to quite a few prep players who could help return UDM to glory, including his son, Jermaine Jackson Jr. This being said, Jackson has only one year of college coaching experience, the just completed season.
  • Lou Dawkins, a Northern Illinois assistant, built a national powerhouse at Saginaw High. Dawkins has helped  NIU compete for MAC tittles every year he has been there. He has no college head coaching experience, but he knows the state well and is rumored to be interested.
  • Kevin Mondro, an assistant at Eastern Michigan. He coached and played under Perry Watson at UDM. Mondro is well connected in the college basketball world and could secure UDM some good home games.

My choice would be Bacari Alexander.

For over a year there have been whispers and rumors that Alexander is interested in coaching at UDM.

Despite some people believing he’s a poor X’s and O’s coach, Alexander is the right man for the job.

UDM needs a coach who can steal the local spotlight from Oakland’s Greg Kampe.

Alexander can take up more than his share of the spotlight, and that is what UDM needs to get people in the seats.

 

Basketball news and notes:

Junior guard Jarod Williams announced his intent to transfer last week. He will have one year of eligibility left.

ESPN reported that junior forward Chris Jenkins was transferring. This turned out to be untrue and was refuted by Pat Donnelly, Jenkins’ high school head coach at UDJ.