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ESPN expert on Mike White, happy Florida fans: 'careful what you hope for'

On3 imageby:Wes Blankenship•03/15/22
On3 image
Mike White, holding a speaker, celebrates Florida's comeback win over Vandy with his team Tuesday night. (UAA Communications)

Jimmy Dykes just watched the entire SEC basketball tournament in Tampa before Georgia hired Mike White.

Before that, he got to know what the now former Florida Gators head coach is all about.

Mike White coached in Gainesville since 2015.

That was plenty of time for the former college basketball coach and TV expert to see what makes White tick.

Hint: he’s a fan.

Don’t take Georgia’s Mike White hire for granted, Bulldogs fans

Dykes reminds Florida fans to appreciate the career White left behind, too.

He told The Marty Smith Podcast on Outsider that any naysayers about Mike White’s career at Florida overlook his consistency (29:15 mark).

“Be careful what you hope for. Because Florida just lost the only coach in the conference that has been to the last four NCAA Tournaments and won a game in each of the last four NCAA Tournaments,” Dykes said.

“Not Rick Barnes, not John Calipari, not Bruce Pearl, not Frank Martin, not Buzz Williams, not Will Wade, nope…”

“It didn’t work out for him this year, but I think Mike White just got tired of hearing that he’s not Billy Donovan. Unless they hire Billy Donovan now, the next guy’s not Billy Donovan either.”

Dykes pointed out the possibility that those giddy Florida fans might have it wildly incorrect

They may have a perfectly-tailored candidate to replace White, but look no further than Stegeman Coliseum to see what happens when expectations exceed reality.

“I thought Tom Crean was a terrific hire when he got hired, and it didn’t work out,” Dykes said.

“There are no guarantees in a hire.”

Likewise, Georgia fans can’t guarantee that Mike White will be a step up from Tom Crean (although it doesn’t get much lower).

And Florida fans can’t guarantee that Mike White will be mediocre in Athens.

In a league where ‘It Just Means More’ – more pressure, more attention, more teams in the NCAA Tournament than any other conference – there still aren’t any more guarantees that a coach will deliver after a change.

It was time for Georgia.

With a bunch of impossible-to-please Gators in Gainesville, can you blame Mike White for feeling like it was time, too?

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