Tech’s Hewitt says no to St. John’s — updated at 2:39 p.m.
Paul Hewitt has withdrawn from consideration to be St. John’s next basketball coach.
Hewitt is out of town on a recruiting trip and has not returned a message left on his cell phone at 10:33 a.m.
“My family and I have developed deep ties to Georgia Tech and the city of Atlanta,” Hewitt said in a statement released by Georgia Tech. “I strongly believe in what Georgia Tech can do for young people, and I am committed to returning the Tech basketball program to the level of success our fans have come to expect. We took a step in that direction this past season, and I fully intend to continue on that path.”
He is scheduled to meet with the media at 9:30 p.m. tonight.
“I think what has transpired over the last few days speaks volumes about Paul Hewitt and about Georgia Tech,” Tech athletics director Dan Radakovich said in a statement. “Paul’s credentials as a human being, a family man, a leader and a builder of character are impeccable. All of us at Georgia Tech are committed to assist him in providing an outstanding men’s basketball program.”
Hewitt is from the New York City area and is known as an outstanding recruiter. The Red Storm hoped that he could tap into the high school talent in the five boroughs that St. John’s in recent years hasn’t been able to keep from leaving to programs such as Connecticut and Cincinnati.
However, Hewitt has repeatedly said that he and his family are happy in Atlanta and that he was not looking to leave. His parents and younger brother recently moved to Atlanta. In addition, Tech opened a new practice facility last year, and is reviewing plans for a renovation of Alexander Memorial Coliseum that will cost at least $45 million.
“I would say it’s highly unlikely I’d go anywhere,” Hewitt said Tuesday afternoon.
He has been criticized by fans and boosters for not being able to lead Tech to better than a seventh-place finish in the ACC this season, despite having two potential NBA lottery picks on the roster in Gani Lawal and Derrick Favors. The Jackets advanced to the finals of the ACC tournament before being eliminated in the second round of the NCAA tournament by Ohio State. The finished the year 23-13, 7-9 in the ACC.
Hewitt is 177-144 at Tech, including 67-93 in the ACC in 10 seasons as the Jackets’ coach. He has led the Jackets to the NCAA tournament five times.
The Red Storm fired coach Norm Roberts last week after six seasons. They reportedly offered the job to Florida’s Billy Donovan last week, but were rebuffed.
—
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371 comments Add your comment
Tech Fan
March 25th, 2010
2:05 pm
And is it just me, or was that seriously the PERFECT fit for him? He could underachieve and they would be somewhat happy, as they’ve been down a while. He probably could recruit even BETTER there, as a home town guy. He would get a raise. He would finally get to coach in The Garden. Would get to go home. What in the hell!?!?! It has to be to punish GT…I officially am on a warpath in the media…let the media rampage continue!
**GO JACKETS…but…FIRE PAUL HEWITT!!!**
**GO JACKETS…but…FIRE PAUL HEWITT!!!**
**GO JACKETS…but…FIRE PAUL HEWITT!!!**
**GO JACKETS…but…FIRE PAUL HEWITT!!!**
**GO JACKETS…but…FIRE PAUL HEWITT!!!**
**GO JACKETS…but…FIRE PAUL HEWITT!!!**
**GO JACKETS…but…FIRE PAUL HEWITT!!!**
NoCoach Blewitt
March 25th, 2010
2:07 pm
Its official we now have a EUNUCH as our basketball coach !!!!!! Wonder if he will be allowed in the locker room … hopefully not, I think that will help our chances of winning a few games
BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (3/25/2010) | NBE Basketball Report
March 25th, 2010
2:08 pm
[...] current Georgia Tech head coach Paul Hewitt as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is reporting that Hewitt Could be Announced on Friday as St. John’s Coach. right now nothing seems to be completely finalized, but St. John’s is Hoping Hewitt Accepts [...]
Tech Fan
March 25th, 2010
2:08 pm
I can only pray that DRad knows enough about a fan base to realize it’s going to be VERY ugly the next year. Appathy was last year. This year is going to be really bad. It will make the situation much worse over all. Have to let the man go before the fan base revolts more than we have. The only people who are supporting him for a long time on these blogs are 1) uga trolls 2) fans who aren’t aware of the full history 3) people who have an agenda unrelated to basketball (just a theory)
Fast Freddy
March 25th, 2010
2:09 pm
Paul has unfinished business in Atlanta……he is a class act and should not walk until he completes his mission…..walking from a promise is not his style……
Hethel Waka
March 25th, 2010
2:10 pm
Alan,
The same can be said for UGA if I am not mistaken. And I am NOT!!! What an idiot.
NoCoach Blewitt
March 25th, 2010
2:10 pm
I guess our real coach is Mrs. Hewitt … who knew?
joe schmoe
March 25th, 2010
2:12 pm
Well if this report is true, then I’m canceling my season tickets. DRad, for the love of god l, get this knuckle head out of here. Make him an offer he cannot refuse.
Woo Hoo
March 25th, 2010
2:12 pm
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Super Lou
March 25th, 2010
2:14 pm
You Georgia fans are a riot!! Especially you ALAN. You base the success of your season on the fact that you beat Tech? You guys didn’t even make the freakin TOURNAMENT. When you finally make it to the big dance, then you have some ground to talk. Georgia Tech basketball will be just fine.
RAMBLE ON!!!
March 25th, 2010
2:14 pm
Embarrassing.
I loathe the Hewitts.
Tom
March 25th, 2010
2:15 pm
As a Minnesota and Tubby Smith fan, I say “thank you!”
Gatorman
March 25th, 2010
2:18 pm
I feel sorry for PHewitt, but the situation is not unlike Cremins that wanted to take the South Carolina job, and wife said without her, and he came back on his knees. PHewitt wants to take the St. Johns job so he has another 5 years to prove himself, and his wife won’t go. Now he’s going out the back door next year after he has another losing season. That’s sad, maybe his wife is going to get him another job down here, now there’s a family not living in the real world.
Jim
March 25th, 2010
2:19 pm
I’m glad he is staying. I can continue to support the program – which I’m not sure I could do with some of the “mentioned replacements”. {But, I think he’ll be gone after next year; not being hand picked by AD Radakovich, I don’t think they’re relationship will improve.)
Kadosh
March 25th, 2010
2:19 pm
Logically thinking who can GT bring in to replace Coach Hewitt, that will bring in the players that he has brought in to this program to make it successful. The education requirements are high and I know that Duke University are also high but their players that they are recruiting are staying 4 years, what can Hewitt do to induce his players the likes of Derek Favors or Gani Lawal to stay for 4 years, Coach K doesn’t go after those type of athlete, who has left Duke early beside Lual Dang and he is successful in the NBA but not alot of other Duke players stay that long or reach the greatness of Chis Bosh could you compare Dang to him or the great Christian Lattner, how long did he stay. So all you Jackets fan you are to be thankful if Hewitt stays if not to the cellar you will go if you really take a look at the dynamics of their program. Who will come.
NoCoach Blewitt
March 25th, 2010
2:21 pm
Fast Freddy …. If the mission was completely tank the GT program and seep every dollar out of the athletic department … You are right
George P Burdette
March 25th, 2010
2:24 pm
Just like Hewitt…he had to call time out to get his family’s permission. You are on a mission you can’t complete. Thanks Dave Braine for ruining the GT hoops program
RAMBLE ON!!!
March 25th, 2010
2:24 pm
Kadosh you are a 100% idiot.
Since ACC expansion, we are in the cellar!!!
MY HEAD IS GOING TO EXPLODED!!!!!!!!!
NoCoach Blewitt
March 25th, 2010
2:24 pm
The only positive thing about this is now we get to watch Blewey completely TANK his career …. what an idiot, you had a chance to go create a new fanbase since you lost your current one, and start new. Now, like the line in The Big Lebowski, “You are Entering into a world of PAIN”
yellow snow
March 25th, 2010
2:25 pm
Hewitt blewitt once again and missed a golden opportunity to get away before he is fired next year. He will look back and think…. if only…
Meadowlark Lemmon
March 25th, 2010
2:25 pm
Hewitt obviously doesn’t wear the pants in his family either. That’s the worst news I’ve heard all year!
GIVE ME A BREAK
March 25th, 2010
2:26 pm
Sad news for GT fans. It doesn’t matter who Hewitt brings in, he can’t coach them. Would have been better if he had left. Sad, Sad.
The Boss
March 25th, 2010
2:26 pm
Alan and his poor grammar and spelling is a perfect example of what GA grads call GT grads in the work place … “Boss”
trouble funk
March 25th, 2010
2:26 pm
I was hoping he left because these rednecks down here don’t appreciate him.
Larry Jones
March 25th, 2010
2:26 pm
Fox runs this State…
Kadosh
March 25th, 2010
2:28 pm
To Ramble on,
You are an idiot for saying your head is going to (Exploded). Past tense ( you are revealing your level of education). Come back with another one.
The Boss
March 25th, 2010
2:28 pm
… and to continue, “YES”, Hewitt needs to go. The sooner he leaves the better for the GT basketball program !
GT
March 25th, 2010
2:28 pm
Why are we so lucky?
buzz is wiser
March 25th, 2010
2:29 pm
this stinks
Meadowlark Lemmon
March 25th, 2010
2:29 pm
Kadosh: RAMBLE’s right your are an idiot.
Go Dawgs
March 25th, 2010
2:31 pm
GA Tech Insider is just another Tech Nerd. Way to go with your posts this morning. Could you have been more wrong?
GIVE ME A BREAK
March 25th, 2010
2:32 pm
Duke doesn’t recruit ” ONE AND DONES.” They’re bad for any program. They should be allowed to go straight to NBA from high school.
Fred
March 25th, 2010
2:33 pm
Hold off on the hatred, folks. Three things to remember: (1) Coach Hewitt is committed to doing the best job he can for Georgia Tech (2) Coach Hewitt has made promise to his team and to recruits to “not bail on them” (3) Coach Hewitt is entitled to be where he wants to be and in a place where he AND his family are going to be happy. Isn’t that what we all strive for? For a decent and honorable man to realize that the imagined ‘perfect scenario’ may not always be the right option, we as the Tech community should be glad to have him as part of the family.
RambleOn84
March 25th, 2010
2:33 pm
It is painfully obvious that Hewitt is staying only for the “golden contract.” He knows this situation will never work out now.
RambleOn84
March 25th, 2010
2:35 pm
I’ve always respected Hewitt as a man (not as a coach), but this changes my opinion of him. He knows he is not wanted, and he refuses to bow out gracefully. He will settle for no less than what he is owed by the Worst Contract in the History of Sports (for the school that is).
Kadosh
March 25th, 2010
2:35 pm
Awhhhhhh!!!!Lemmon wants some attention. Ok so what you are saying that if you had all of Hewitt Recruits to stay 4 years GT wouldn’t be in contention for the ACC with the Dukes and Carolinas of the world. If the ACC is all you want your thinking is limited. You can’t coach what you don’t have…
wesley30707
March 25th, 2010
2:36 pm
im ashamed that someof my fellow tech fans are as bad as some of the uga fans on here
groh's 3-4
March 25th, 2010
2:36 pm
30-24
Dawgs Win Again
March 25th, 2010
2:38 pm
bwahahahahahahahahahahaha
Dawgs Win Again
March 25th, 2010
2:39 pm
You guys have beaten us ONCE legally since 1990. 20 years!!!
Michael
March 25th, 2010
2:39 pm
So disappointing. Why would Hewitt turn down a six year contract to get fired next year. It must be for the money, although he says it is not. This is very frustrating. I believe there will be a large number of season ticket holders choose not to renew their tickets. AMC will be emptier than this year. Hewitt leaving seemed to be a win-win for all. DRAD needs to move quickly or lose significant support from the loyal supporters.
RambleOn84
March 25th, 2010
2:40 pm
Legally???
Kadosh
March 25th, 2010
2:40 pm
If Hewitt leaves you will be begging for him to comeback because who out there would you get and whoever that is, if Hewitt goes to St. Johns any GT plays them he will be them every time so GT better enjoy while they have him if not Welcome to the NIT for the remainder of your existance……
Dawgs Win Again
March 25th, 2010
2:42 pm
Yes, legally beat us ONCE since 1990. You quickly forget of all the inelgible players you had from 1998-2000? Call Joe Hamilton, he’ll remind you.
RambleOn84
March 25th, 2010
2:42 pm
Kadosh is clearly not a Tech fan…Hewitt has ONE winning record in the conference in TEN years.
What is so hard to understand about that?
srschirm
March 25th, 2010
2:43 pm
What a bunch of crap. Thanks for getting our hopes up, Hewitt.
RambleOn84
March 25th, 2010
2:43 pm
I’m SURE Georgia players have always played by the rules…[rolling eyes]…this is a basketball story anyway.
NoCoach Blewitt
March 25th, 2010
2:44 pm
Kadosh ,,.,,, can yoiu please form correct sentences, which will then become a paragraph. Your gibberish is impossible to understand. Guess that Housing degree from the junior college down in Athens was not worth the money.
NoCoach Blewitt
March 25th, 2010
2:44 pm
*you
HugoStiglitz
March 25th, 2010
2:48 pm
Well, that was close. I hope he turns things around. You have to wonder why a guy would turn down a new job to stay at a job where he is on the hot seat though.