I wouldn't go so far as to say Hoiberg has the "it" factor just yet. He hasn't coached a single game in the NBA so you may be getting a little ahead of yourself here. He hasn't really been a "winner" wherever he's gone. I enjoyed him as a player for the Bulls because he played from his giant, albeit malfunctioning, heart during the most brutal stretch in Bulls basketball history and never once complained. But let's be honest here. His career as a player was pretty unspectacular. His time as a VP was also fairly unspectacular. Now all that doesn't mean it will define is coaching acumen but I'd be hard pressed to think of him as any sort of savior at this point.
What I do like about him is that he has shown, while running an uptempo NBA style offense in college, a great grasp on how to get the most out of his players while tailoring his playbooks to their strengths. His demeanor is calm and collected. His players have a genuine affection for him, as does he for them. The ability to connect with all kinds of egos is the biggest challenge an NBA coach faces, which is why a lot of college coach transplants fail. In this regard, I think Hoiberg should excel much in the manner Kerr has this year. All of these are good qualities to have in a coach.
If he does take the job, which all indications are that he does, he is going to have a tremendous amount of pressure on him, while coming off of another heart surgery. That is a major concern to me. How is he going to handle it? How will his health hold up? Being head coach of the Chicago Bulls is one of the toughest jobs in the NBA because of the fanbase, the media, and the front office. Hopefully he handles it all well but all we can do is wait and see at this point.
