Despite their record, it’s safe to say that I miss Fordham Basketball right now. It’s been two weeks since their last game, but things haven’t been completely quiet in the world of Fordham Men’s hoops. While the current team under Mike DePaoli looks to make their return in the upcoming conference tournament this week, the gears of speculation continue to turn as Fordham continues to search for their next head coach.
Here’s a quick update to what I’ve heard regarding the search so far.
Around the Rumor Mill
In all honesty, it’s hard to get specific details on what’s going on behind the closed doors of Rose Hill Gym. Because of this, take everything I mention in this section with several grains of salt. A lot of information I’m providing in this section is from a source close to Fordham Basketball, so once further details become more public, I’ll provide plenty of updates.
According to this source, Jared Grasso, head coach of Bryant, has been a much desired candidate by Fordham. After what Grasso has done at Bryant, it’s no shocker that a school like Fordham, who’s currently struggling to find an identity as a team, would look towards a guy whose seemingly built a program from the ground up into a conference title contender. Despite the appeal, it seems that the biggest roadblock in this move is getting Grasso OUT of Bryant. While Fordham is definitely a step up in terms of exposure, Grasso has proven himself enough to make a possible bigger jump should he choose to leave Bryant.
Another name being thrown around a lot is Shaheen Holloway, current head coach of the St. Peter’s Peacocks in New Jersey. In just three years as a head coach, Holloway has turned the Peacocks around quite nicely, going 18-9 in his second year after a 10-22 first season. Currently 9-8, the Red Flash are pushing for the fourth and final spot in the four-team NEC tournament. Holloway is a young, energetic coach that could solve some of Fordham’s recruiting and shooting development problems. While I think Fordham should at least give a very long look at his resume, they might be hesitant to higher such an inexperienced coach.
Finally, I’d like to talk about two names that have caused a bit of polarization within the Fordham basketball community. First, Steve Lavin. In all honesty, I don’t think Lavin was ever a serious contender. His name has been thrown around a lot due to his time at St. John’s, but I just don’t think he’s THE guy to get Fordham back into shape. The general consensus is that his recruiting is subpar, and considering the money Fordham will be willing to spend, he’s not worth it.
Speaking of former St. John’s coaches, my source is telling me that Fran Fraschilla might be getting some looks. Despite not coaching since 2002 after leaving New Mexico on some no-so-great terms, Fraschilla has emerged as a potential candidate. My biggest apprehension towards Fraschilla is where he may focus his recruiting. Covering FIBA basketball extensively for ESPN, Fraschilla may look to Europe for bringing in young players, and while this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I feel like Neubauer’s preference for overseas players while overlooking guys in the Metro Area was a huge drawback for a lot of Fordham fans.
