Tennessee coaches enjoyed great success in the 2024-25 school year. But my column singling out first-year Lady Vols basketball coach Kim Caldwell as the best of the bunch didn’t elicit unanimous approval.
I recovered from the initial shock of disapproval and wrote the following:
Michael writes: Carry Danny White’s water.
Karen Weekly has been to two final fours in three years. And nothing has been done to upgrade SPL stadium.
The stars on the “trainee’s” team were Kellie Harper’s recruits. The trainee got a blank check for NIL. Kellie got a tee shirt shop. Nobody would hire the trainee if she left tomorrow.
My response: Missouri hired Harper. That tells me athletic directors would be standing in line to hire Caldwell after what she accomplished in her first season at Tennessee.
She got the NIL backing that Harper couldn’t. Why? Because NIL investors didn’t believe in Harper. They believe in Caldwell.
Duke writes: Kim Caldwell as UT’s coach of the year was an an excellent choice, John.
Of course, I’m biased, since I’m also from West Virginia. However, she did an excellent job. And she pulled it off during the season for crying out loud.
My response: If Harper had returned as Tennessee’s coach for the 2024-25 season, Tennessee wouldn’t have made the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history.
Terry writes: I agree with your prediction on the 4 SEC coaches that won’t return next year. I saw a random article (AL.com, I believe) that said former Coach P. Fulmer (aka The Incredible Hullco) will not speak to either Lane Kiffin or Paul Finebaum due to comments made by them after Fulmer’s First firing, and Kiffin’s brief stint here.
The big question that true Vol fans are curious about: Will twice-fired former Coach PF speak to John Adams of the KNS sports staff?
My response: He apparently…
Source link : https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/columnists/university-of-tennessee/john-adams/2025/07/21/lady-vols-kim-caldwell-kellie-harper-tennessee-basketball/85266697007/
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Publish date : 2025-07-21 09:05:00
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