It’s a very slow time in college basketball. Mid-July has two evaluation periods, but early July is one of the slower periods for the sport.So it felt like a good time for a mailbag. A very list-heavy mailbag. Thanks to everyone who sent in questions. Let’s get to it.Note: Submitted questions have been lightly edited for clarity and length.You’ve written a lot about Dusty May leaving Michigan for the NBA and what that says about college basketball. Can we spill some ink appreciating the top coaches who are fully invested in building programs with a lasting culture? The two that immediately come to mind are Kelvin Sampson and Tom Izzo, who have been at their current schools for over a decade. Which coaches are in line to follow their lead and stay at one school into the 2030s? — Luigi M.Fun exercise. I’ll say these seven coaches will still be coaching at their schools 10 years from now. Before getting to the list, let me just say that I think it’s possible we see more movement over the next 10 years than we’ve seen in the previous decade. Getting support from donors has never been more important. You have to pay for these rosters somehow, and it takes donor support to reach the level necessary to be competitive — a number that seems to be increasing every year. Have a few below-expectation seasons, and donor fatigue will set in, and the best way to motivate donors is to give them a new coach. The current system is also likely to push more coaches toward early retirement or toward jumping to the NBA. Plus, there are a decent number of successful coaches who are already nearing retirement.Dusty May leaving for pros is familiar for Michigan fansAustin MeekAlso, to give an idea of how rare it is to still be coaching at the same school in 10 years, here are the high-major coaches in the five big leagues who are 10-plus years into the job: Izzo, Sampson, Rick Barnes, Matt Painter, Steve Pikiell, Chris Collins, Dana Altman, Bill Self, Jamie Dixon, Tad Boyle, Scott Drew, Johnny Dawkins and Brad Brownell. That’s 16.5 percent. Here are my best guesses at the coaches who will be on this list in 2036.Ryan Odom, Virginia: Virginia was one of the best programs in the ACC under Tony Bennett, has proved it will stick with a coach and seems to have given Odom the resources to succeed. He’s only 51 and won 30 games in his first year at the school.Matt Painter, Purdue: Painter will turn 56 by the start of this upcoming season and is the oldest coach on this list. It’s definitely possible he retires in the next 10 years, but I’m betting he at least has another 10 years in him. He’s a Purdue lifer, and it’d be shocking if he left for another job. He has already spent 21 seasons as the head coach at Purdue, loves coaching ball, and while he’s outspoken about changes that need to occur in the sport, it doesn’t seem like the current setup has beaten him down. The one reason he might feel inclined to retire in the next 10 years is to give current assistant PJ Thompson the opportunity to be the next head coach. Thompson, 30, seems to be the guy who is destined to replace Painter.T.J. Otzelberger, Iowa State: Otzelberger just signed a 10-year deal, and Iowa State has done everything to try to keep him happy and keep him from considering a move to a blue blood. There was a push for an extension when North Carolina was open and looking like it might reach Otzelberger on its list. The fact Iowa State could stiff-arm UNC is pretty telling. I think Otzelberger is the most likely on this list to end up at another school, but I’ll bet on his loyalty. Otzelberger is extremely close to athletic director Jamie Pollard, who is 61 and could retire in the next decade. But Otzelberger loves Iowa State — his wife played basketball there — and he is trending toward legendary status at the school.
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