Why is Badgers head coach Bo Ryan so underrated?

The Wisconsin Badgers have another chance to get to the final four for a second year in a row thanks to their head coach, Bo Ryan. Why is he so underrated?

Since 2001, there have been two international players, three high schoolers, seven freshman, one sophomore and one junior selected with the first overall pick in the NBA Draft.

Since 2001, none of the players selected first overall in the NBA draft have attended or even thought about going to the University of Wisconsin.

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Let that marinate for a second and then think about this.

While schools like Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, Ohio State, and North Carolina are dominating in college basketball, the Wisconsin Badgers are head to head with the giant programs in college basketball and have done better than a lot of programs in the power five conferences.

How is it that a basketball program playing inside of one of the power five conferences in college basketball only has two McDonalds All-American’s since 1977. These two players are Rashard Griffith in 1993, and Brian Butch in 2003. Ever heard of them? Exactly. The Wisconsin Badgers are doing a lot more with a lot less and they make no excuses.

It’s awesome to see a school in the power five conference having the success of Wisconsin in spite of the talented recruits that are appear from all over the country that choose to go to different schools other than Wisconsin.

In the one-and-done era, where kids virtually hold a school up for ransom for a single-year, it’s extremely difficult to compete with other programs in the country that embrace one-and-done athletes that walk through the doors.

Mar 29, 2014; Anaheim, CA, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Bo Ryan instructs in a team huddle against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half in the finals of the west regional of the 2014 NCAA Mens Basketball Championship tournament at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports /

However, the Wisconsin Badgers still remain strong, and their head coach Bo Ryan is one of the best coaches in the game, and he doesn’t get the recruits or major basketball players in his program year in and year out.

For as good as Duke’s head coach, Mike Krzyzewski is, their might not be another coach in college basketball who’s a better developer of talent than Ryan in college basketball.

If that’s the truth, then why is Ryan so underrated? How has he managed to fly under the radar for so long?

The Facts

Last year when the Wisconsin Badgers defeated the No. 1 seed in the 2014 NCAA Tournament, the Arizona Wildcats, 64-63, Arizona featured studs on their roster such as Aaron Gordon, Nick Johnson, and other future NBA players. It was the first time in Ryan’s career that he made it to the final four round of the NCAA Tournament.

Since Ryan landed in Madison, Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Badgers have made the NCAA Tournament every year. Under Ryan, Wisconsin has made the tournament 13 straight years, and even with a colossal losing streak this season, Wisconsin is going to extend his streak to 14 years.

Additionally, Wisconsin has made the NCAA Tournament 16 times in a row, and that will soon become 17 by the end of the year. Wisconsin only trails powerhouse programs such as North Carolina (27), Kansas (25), Duke (19), Indiana (18), Michigan State (17), and Kentucky (17), for the record. Out of those schools though there are only three streaks which are active, Kansas, Duke and Michigan State.

What’s more impressive is that Ryan is only one of forty coaches in college basketball that have reached the 700-win career mark. Furthermore, he’s also one of five coaches active in college basketball that have reached that air space.

Additionally, because of his coaching Wisconsin has reaped the benefits and in the last 14 years of Ryan’s career, Wisconsin has never finished worst than fourth in the Big Ten.

The Style

In an interview with Reid Forgrave of FoxSports, Ryan said this:

"“If you take care of the basketball, if you block out, if you make the right passes, if you defensively work with your teammates on rotations, if you do the little things, then the big things will come.”"

It’s the pure style of coaching that Ryan uses to his advantage against schools that have highly touted freshman. Ryan believes in teaching the game of basketball at the most simplest form, so regardless of who’s suiting up for Wisconsin that his team is better prepared for games. Because of his teaching, his teams rarely make the simple mistakes that turn into costly possessions that cause losses on the scoreboard.

Bringing in a team full of decorated high school All-American’s and pinning them up against one of Ryan’s team’s isn’t a fair matchup because the way the coaches will bring out the worst in young players. That’s why his team’s are so intelligent because they’ve had to endure Ryan’s teachings for years.

Players such as Nigel Hayes, Traveon Jackson, and Bronson Koenig, never got to play much as freshman because Ryan understands that their not ready mentally and physically to compete. His players go through a process of learning until they’re ready enough to play on the basketball court.

His style of coaching, and passing intelligence is the that reason why a scrawny 6’10 center with a wicked jump shot from Lislie, Illinois named, Frank Kaminsky, who played in the Catholic League Conference at Benet Academy, has become an All-American and the face of an entire basketball program, all in the span of four years because of his decision to become a student-athlete at the University of Wisconsin.

Kaminsky started off as a prototypical center with face up post moves. He normally would step out to about 15 to 20 feet to shoot jump shots and nail them. After a few years under Ryan, Kaminsky has now learned how to use his unique skill set to put the basketball on the floor, take a few dribbles and get to any spot on the floor.

More importantly, Ryan has developed Kaminsky into a player who can catch the basketball in the post and use post moves in the paint to punish his defenders on the block.

This is why #Badgers 7-footer Frank Kaminsky is a preseason All-American. https://t.co/pXCqDxE0vg
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) January 1, 2015

Ryan’s ability to think long-term and big picture is the reason why Wisconsin’s had such a long successful run.

That’s also a reason why Ryan doesn’t normally get big time recruits, because the players that come to Wisconsin are those who want to stay within the program for the long haul. They are not the types of players that want to only stay in school for the immediate school year until the lure of millions from the NBA comes calling.

But who can blame any 19-year-old who takes their game to the NBA when they say a half million dollar signing bonus in front of their face?

The second that Wisconsin gets another McDonald’s All-American, it could spell trouble for the rest of college basketball. Because under Ryan’s coaching any McDonald’s All-American that would enroll at the University of Wisconsin would exponentially become a better player than when he first arrived.

At the end of the day it doesn’t look like Ryan is losing any bit of sleep from not getting the can’t miss prospects because the players that he get’s and mold’s often become can’t miss NBA players. Ryan’s coaching has worked for players in his program such as Jon Leuer, Greg Stiemsma, Alando Tucker, Devin Harris, and Kirk Penney, all of which managed to play in the NBA.

That’s why it’s rare we see Ryan upset, he keeps his cool , and is often jovial during his time. He’s doing a lot more with a lot less and it’s only a testament to his coaching brilliance.

Coach Ryan keep doing an awesome job, and making everyone fall in love with team basketball.

Keep cranking that Soulja Boy.

Next: NCAA: What coach Krzyzewski means to the game of basketball

Why is Wisconsin Badgers head coach Bo Ryan so underrated?

By DJoumbarey A. Moreau | Feb 1, 2015

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