Reasons for Wright
The day that Brett Brown was fired, social media went into a frenzy, like stock traders on the NYSE floor in the 1980s. On Facebook and Twitter, all kinds of names were thrown out, including Jay Wright. Some welcome the idea of Wright leading the Sixers, while others question why Wright would even want to leave Villanova.
It is a legit question, and he does have a number of reasons to stay put. Currently, he is the sixth highest paid coach in the NCAA, making $4.4 million a year. However, in the pros, he could earn more. Rick Carlisle, Erik Spoelstra, Steve Kerr, and Gregg Popovich all make over $8 million per season. Coming out of Villanova as its greatest coach in history, Wright could make somewhere between his current salary and the previous coaches mentioned. If money is not a solid enough reason, perhaps the thrill of the challenge can push him to take the Sixers job?
What could be more challenging than getting Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons to reach their full potential? Both players are still relatively young and need a new coach who will hold everyone equally accountable. Wright has that cachet. The timing could be perfect, where Brett Brown’s voice was such an empty echo in the locker room toward the end, Jay Wright’s would set a new tone for the team. Even Jay Wright’s play schemes, though executed at the NCAA level, could offer more opportunities for success than what Brett Brown was able to accomplish in his years as coach.
Some say that the King of Villanova would not want to leave his castle. Well, technically, he would not. Wright would not have to change his zip code if he ended up coaching the 76ers. How convenient and auspicious it would be, for not just Wright, but his family, too. He could still be beloved by the school that gave him the keys to the kingdom, while coaching another home team, just with different colors and a new mascot.
For those who are underwhelmed at the idea of Jay Wright coaching the Sixers, look at it this way — he grew up in the area, graduated from Council Rock High School in Bucks County, and played ball in the Sonny Hill league in Philly. The Wells Fargo Center is already his home court, and he’d walk into the Sixers’ locker room wearing two NCAA Championship rings, commanding respect.
He could get a nice boost in salary while establishing a post-Process era of Sixers basketball, building a system where Embiid and Simmons flourish. With patience, hard work, and the right support from management, his name could join the halls of basketball lore, becoming only the second head coach to win at the college and professional level. If that’s not enough to convince you that he’d be a good fit to coach the Sixers, maybe it’s enough to convince him.