Men’s basketball coach at the University of Wisconsin Bo Ryan announced earlier in the week he was retiring and the consensus seems that college basketball will be worse off for it.
Ryan’s ability to develop players over multiple years and his apparent refusal to adopt the “one-and-done” philosophy has made him one of basketball’s biggest enigmas.
The mystery only increased when Ryan developed Frank Kaminsky from a backup center during the 2012-13 season into the consensus college player of the year in 2014-15. He also led his team to the national championship game where the Badgers lost to Duke.
{{tncms-asset app="editorial" id="f5af181e-1f87-11e5-8780-7b7bde69ff9d"}}
Ryan’s influence means different things to different people but one of the people most intrigued by Ryan’s decision to retire is Ohio men’s basketball coach Saul Phillips.
Phillips played under Ryan during his time at UW-Platteville, where Ryan coached from 1984-99, and Phillips still holds his former coach in very high regard.
“I don’t think there’s anyone who’s done a better job of developing players,” Phillips said of Ryan. “I think he’s left college basketball in a better place and has done a lot for the game.”
Phillips joked of his teammates developing so much that they ran circles around him. He also said Ryan treated everyone fairly while also finding a way to get the most out of each of player. This is evidenced in some of his former players coming out and giving praise to their old coach.
{{tncms-asset app="editorial" id="089177de-f507-11e4-a3ef-b35d8fcde32f"}}
One of the most outspoken of those players is Kaminsky, who sent out a long farewell message to Ryan on Facebook that included phrases like “no words can accurately describe what Coach Ryan has meant to me and how he has changed my life,” and “for one last year, everyone will see the same fire and passion he has brought for every single day throughout his long and successful career.”
That’s some heavy praise by Kaminsky, who was drafted No. 9 overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA. Phillips also shared his sentiments on Ryan’s coaching philosophies.
“I can’t say he’s been like a father to me because I have a great father, but he has been a great uncle,” Phillips said.
Phillips also said that when he was pursuing coaching, he looked around at whom he could learn from and the logical choice seemed to be Ryan. He talked about visiting the Wisconsin campus and talking to Nigel Hayes — another standout under Ryan who decided to return for his senior year — and it seems that Ryan is still the same guy.
{{tncms-asset app="editorial" id="b2b052fe-f506-11e4-8c36-2bf1b5220e3e"}}
Ryan hinted at his longtime assistant Greg Gard eventually replacing him as the head coach of the Badgers after his retirement, but it can surely be said that college basketball won’t be the same without “Bo.”
“This is a sad day for college basketball,” Phillips said. "It has lost one of the best teachers in the game.”
