By Philip Rossman-Reich on March 27, 2013
Northwestern made it official, hiring Chris Collins to be the team’s new men’s basketball coach.
What had widely been reported throughout the day became official Wednesday night. Duke associate head coach Chris Collins will take over as Northwestern’s head coach following the conclusion of Duke’s NCAA Tournament run . A more formal introduction will be planned then.
The Wildcats, for lack of a better term, got their man.
Collins was the kind of up-and-coming coach Northwestern targeted and wanted to lead the program and infuse it with a new energy. He brings a pedigree to Northwestern that it has not really had.
There is the name recognition that comes from the Collins name. His father, Doug, is a former top overall pick in the NBA and a longtime head coach, including a stint with the Chicago Bulls in Michael Jordan’s younger years. Collins also was a former Mr. Illinois Basketball at Glenbrook North and still has ties to that area. Northwestern men’s basketball may truly become Chicago’s Big Ten team on the floor as much as it is a marketing ploy.
Collins also brings the Duke “brand,” if you will with him. He went to Duke where he was an all-ACC guard and joined Mike Krzyzewski’s staff where he was part of the staff that won the 2001 and 2010 national championship. He was part of Krzyzewski’s Team USA staff as a bench coach and scout for the Olympic team.
Collins has been surrounded by some great coaches and players throughout his young coaching career. Now, he gets the main seat for himself.
We’re thrilled to welcome Chris, his wife, Kim, and their children, Ryan and Kate, home to Chicago and into the Northwestern family,” said Vice President for Athletics & Recreation Jim Phillips. “He has a tremendous pedigree as a basketball coach and will be an outstanding leader for Chicago’s Big Ten Team, and mentor for our student-athletes. After a thorough and comprehensive search process, there is no doubt he is a perfect fit for this institution and our men’s basketball program.”
“I’m so grateful to President Schapiro, Chairman Osborn and Dr. Phillips for the opportunity to lead the men’s basketball program at one of the premier universities in the world, to compete in the Big Ten Conference, and to do so in my hometown,” said Collins. “Northwestern University is a special place that strives for excellence in every regard, and our program will be no different. I can’t possibly thank Coach Krzyzewski and Duke University enough for preparing me for this day.”
Obviously, the challenges at Duke will be very different than the ones Collins faces in his new job at Northwestern. The Wildcats will not have the same access to those top-level recruits (yet) and Collins will have to build the program from the ground up. However, Collins has already shown as an assistant with Duke that he is a tireless recruiter and his newness and vision for Northwestern, things he likely sold the school on in his interview conducted earlier this week in Atlanta, will bring a new energy to the program.
There will be time to answer the questions about what his offensive and defensive schemes will be, how he intends to incorporate the players currently on the roster into that system and what his plans are for the immediate future. Those questions will get answered as the season gets closer.
For now, let’s welcome Chris Collins to the Northwestern family.
Source:
http://www.laketheposts.com/index.php/2013/03/27/northwestern-hires-chris-collins-032713/
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