Allow me to dream a little bit today.
Would Ames High School star player Harrison Barnes said no to Iowa State if Fred Hoiberg was the coach when Barnes made his decision to attend North Carolina?
They say timing in life is everything.
Barnes was the most celebrated high school player in the country last year. His final schools were North Carolina, Duke, Iowa State and a couple others. Well, you knew he wasn’t going to Iowa State with Duke and North Carolina in the mix. Iowa State’s program was also in turmoil with player departures and coach Greg McDermott’s poor record.
McDermott left when Creighton called. Hoiberg was hired too late to give his sales pitch to Barnes.
But can you imagine the sales pitch “Mayor” Hoiberg could have given this guy? North Carolina coach Roy Williams would have been shaking in his Michael Jordan Nikes.
It could have been a beautiful marriage between Hoiberg and Barnes. Think of the focus from the national press on Iowa State’s program: former hometown star coaches another hometown star.
But the dream is over. Barnes is doing well in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Hoiberg has had a rough season at Iowa State, but with some talented players coming in next season, the Mayor’s stock is still rising.
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