The long-awaited decision of Jamal Crawford has now been made. The three-time sixth man of the year will not end up on the sidelines in Lexington after all.
Crawford shared the decision with KSR to break the news on Thursday. Mark Pope has left an assistant coaching position open, and many believed Crawford might be the person to fill that role, but that will not be the case after all.
Crawford said to KSR, “I can’t do it right now. I just can’t, not with everything. But I have no doubt I will be a coach
in the future. Zero.”
Obviously, missing on Crawford isn’t ideal because of what he would’ve brought with many years of NBA experience under his belt, and a current understanding of where the game is headed with his time with AAU basketball and commentating on NBA games. Now just isn’t the time for Crawford, but just because it’s a no now doesn’t mean it’s a no forever. Crawford reportedly took this offer very seriously and told KSR, “If this were a different time, there’s no doubt. There’s zero doubt.”
With that spot still open, Kentucky will pivot and attempt to fill that role with someone else. One name that seems like it could be the man for the job is Kentucky’s own Nick Robinson. Ryan Lemond of KSR recently shared that Kentucky will “more than likely” hire Robinson for that position.
Robinson is already in the building, serving as director of basketball operations. He came with Pope from BYU, where he was an assistant coach for the Cougars for five seasons.
With Robinson having some years of coaching in his past, prior to being a director of basketball operations, he certainly would make sense for the job. He already knows what is expected and knows what is going on behind the scenes with this staff in Lexington.
With it already being mid-July, Robinson makes a lot of sense, so expect him to be the guy who fills this vacancy.
