Rick Barnes to Jeremy Pruitt: Tennessee Vols 10 notable 2010s coaching hires

We’re reserving judgment on this right now. Kellie Harper is the first hire on this list that was not objectively bad even without the benefit of hindsight. However, when it comes to qualifications, she is still not a splash move.

Harper has been fired before after missing the NCAA Tournament for three straight years with the N.C. State Wolfpack. Now, there were underlying circumstances that were the reason for that, and she certainly resurrected her career with success coaching the Missouri State Lady Bears.

But that doesn’t change the fact that she is one of only two coaches on this list who has been hired by UT after being fired by another school. And she is the only coach fired for genuine lack of production, not just failing to meet extremely high expectations.

As a result, she’s near the bottom of this list of Tennessee Vols hires so far. Again, this has nothing to do with how she might work out. After all, she hasn’t even coached a game yet for Tennessee women’s basketball, and a Sweet Sixteen run this past year is something that is certainly worth celebrating. It’s also true she took the Western Carolina Catamounts to two NCAA Tournaments.

But we should point out that she only made two NCAA Tournaments in six years with Missouri State. So Phillip Fulmer placed emphasis on a Lady Vols  player over long-term proven success with this hire, and that’s a factor that is overblown. If the move doesn’t work, then that emphasis will prove costly.