USF men’s basketball lands proven winner in Chris Mack (but first he needed players)

Chris Mack had a housewarming “present” of sorts after he arrived from the College of Charleston as USF’s new head men’s basketball coach on March 25. He was handed an empty roster.

No players. None. Zero. Zip. Nada.

Advertisement

Those who were on the American Conference championship team that finished last season 25-9 either were out of eligibility or hit the Transfer Portal. The exodus wasn’t personal — just business as usual in Division I college basketball today.

“We had a team meeting, the day I arrived, and I think there were five players, maybe six. In today’s day and age, I think it’s almost normal for players to choose the coach rather than coaches choose the players,” he said during a sitdown chat with Green, Gold and Bold.

“I wasn’t I wasn’t necessarily expecting anybody to come back. Certainly, they would be welcome to, and they’re all great kids. I had the opportunity to work with them for a week or so. and then saw them through the rest of the spring as they’d use the facilities. Each of them were great.”

At USF, the standard protocol for one-on-one interviews like this is for a member of the sports communications staff to escort you to the coach’s office. But when I arrived the basketball office and practice complex at the Muma Center, Mack was at the door already.

Advertisement

He popped it open, asked, “Are you Joe?”

“I am.”

“Hi, I’m Chris. Great to meet you.”

We both have roots in the Cincinnati area, so we shared a couple of tales from there. It immediately felt like I had known him for years instead of minutes. But then it was time to get down to the business of talking hoops.

Despite the player exits, there was no panic or doubt about what he and is staff had gotten themselves into. The portal taketh, but the portal also giveth. In short order, there were 12 new Bulls entering from the portal along with three high school freshman recruits.

Advertisement

It’s an interesting group of players.

There is size at the rim in 6-foot-10 Zayden High from North Carolina and…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/usf-mens-basketball-lands-proven-191746642.html

Author :

Publish date : 2026-06-09 19:17:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.