Let This Be A Lesson To Every College Basketball Fanbase In America, Brad Stevens Isn't Coming To Save Your Program

Winslow Townson. Getty Images.

The second Hubert Davis got canned at UNC, it didn't take long for that fanbase to do what every college basketball fanbase does once their favorite team fires the coach.

They dream about Brad Stevens coming in and saving the program. They convince themselves that they are different. While he's turned down countless jobs before, theirs is going to be the one that gets him back into coaching.

As we learned this morning, UNC, like all the rest, has failed

And look, I get it. You can't get what you don't ask for in life. But here's what all of these programs need to understand. 

You are not greater than the Boston Celtics. 

Your coaching job is not better than being in charge and running the Boston Celtics. 

You have to understand, this is the greatest franchise in the history of the sport. I don't care if you're a blue blood, a school with a rich basketball history, hell, even if you're the school in Brad Stevens' home state. 

He is one of us now

Nobody gives a shit about being a potential coaching legend in college. Brad Stevens is a living legend at the highest level, running the most high-profile and prestigious franchise in NBA history. Not only that, you're out of your mind if you think Brad Stevens would leave Jayson Tatum/Jaylen Brown and his hand-picked protege in Joe Mazzulla. If it's about money, guess what? Brad Stevens has a blank check. There is no price the Celtics will not pay to keep him in the building. Why? Because he's the greatest basketball mind on planet earth.

Advertisement

And while these reports used to bother me, now I can't get enough of them. It's the ultimate sign of respect. I would want Brad Stevens to come save my program too! He rules! Since the day he took over the Celtics, I don't think he's missed on a single decision. It's remarkable really. Everything he decides or touches turns to gold. Just look at the 2025-26 Celtics if you'd like an example. Every single player he brought in or drafted has flourished. Every. Single. One. Many of which had virtually zero NBA experience! 

People also forget, Brad Stevens has been in the NBA for 13 years. That's basically double compared to how long he was a college coach. I get why teams call, I get why you would want him to lead your program, but he's an NBA guy now. I'm sorry if this offends. It's not like he's running a team with no future or a dogshit franchise. He has arguably the best job in all of sports. I know college basketball fans like to think their school trumps that, but it doesn't. Again, sorry if this offends. 

There will be plenty of great candidates to choose from to fill your head coaching position. But it's not going to be Brad Stevens. It will never be Brad Stevens. He's good

Joe Murphy. Getty Images.