Connecticut coach Kevin Ollie faced tremendous pressure when he was hired to replace legendary Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun in September 2012. Less than two years later, Ollie faces tremendous pressure again.
This time he’s looking to win the NCAA championship.
Seventh-seeded Connecticut and eighth-seeded Kentucky meet Monday night in one of the unpredictable NCAA championship games ever. UConn wasn’t even eligible for the NCAA tourney last season because of academic issues.
Ollie’s UConn ties run deep, as he was a four-year player that made three NCAA tournaments himself. During Ollie's last two seasons, when he served as a team captain while capturing two Big East regular-season championships, and reaching the NCAA Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, respectively.
"This is my dream job. I was made for this job," Ollie told media on the day he was hired. "UConn is a special, special place and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but right here."
Ollie had an underwhelming NBA career statistically, averaging 3.8 points and 2.3 assists per game, but his leadership and personality helped keep him in the NBA for over a decade.
"He understood the game. He knew how to play. He really worked with other players all the time, telling them what they should do, what they shouldn't do. He was just a really good guy to have on your team,” former coach Paul Silas told the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
In addition to Calhoun and Silas, Ollie has also played for legendary coaches such as Chuck Daly, Larry Brown and George Karl.
"After 13 years in the NBA, Kevin's got a PhD in basketball," Calhoun told uconnhuskies.com. "He's a great basketball man and an even better person. I'm very proud of him."
Questions? Hit me on Twitter @briansflood
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