Inside Doug Gottlieb's quest to build a winning roster

I first met Doug Gottlieb when I was a reporter at Sports Illustrated and he was a point guard at Oklahoma State playing in the NCAA Tournament. I interviewed him in the Cowboys’ locker room the day before their game. I didn’t plan on speaking with him for long, but Doug was so smart, witty and engaging I stuck by him. He filled my notebook up almost as deftly as he dished out assists. I distinctly remember thinking, “That kid should have his own radio show.”

The definition of “radio” has changed over the years (there was no such thing as iPods yet, much less podcasts), but one thing hasn’t changed: Doug Gottlieb still has a lot to say. We’ve seen that over the years as Gottlieb became a radio host and TV commentator. I saw it firsthand for several years when we worked together at CBS. He was a great partner and very, very good at what he does.

The other thing we know about Gottlieb is that he really knows basketball. I’ve had many conversations with him over the years about his efforts to be a college basketball head coach, and this past winter he got his chance at Green Bay. Doug being Doug, he drew a lot of attention to himself and the program during the season, much of it controversial. He also lost a lot of games. Given that he took over in May, long after transfer and recruiting season, it’s not surprising that his team didn’t win much. Now that he’s revamping for year two, he hopes to turn the tide.

Doug has been writing a regular diary for Hoops HQ for the last few months, and he has another installment today. It’s a fascinating look at the life of a mid-major coach as he tries to navigate the strange new world of NIL and pay-for-play. And speaking of mid-majors, though a lot of really good players at that level transferred “up” to high-major programs, a few really good ones stayed put. Tristan Freeman provides a list of his top 10.

We’ve got loads of other goodies for you to enjoy today as well. So have a great Saturday, and thanks as always for your support of Hoops HQ.

— Seth

Doug Gottlieb’s Diary: How We’re Building a Winning Roster for Next Season

By Doug Gottlieb

Hello again, Hoops HQ subscribers. We’ve got a lot to catch up on. The last few months have been a whirlwind. We played in some dramatic games, conducted our exit interviews and started building our roster for next year.

In today’s college basketball world, the focus must shift to next season immediately. In fact, with no general manager, our coaching staff had been game-planning for the offseason long before it arrived. We prepared a strategy based on who we anticipated would hit the transfer portal. During the middle of the season, I even sent two of my assistants on the road for three weeks to watch all of the best junior college players in the country.

First, we had to do exit interviews and figure out which of our players would be staying in Green Bay.

Staying Put: A Look at Mid-Major Stars Who Didn’t Transfer

By Tristan Freeman

To this point in the offseason at Hoops HQ, we’ve discussed the numerous players who have entered the transfer portal. But there were some mid-major standouts who elected to stay at their respective schools for the 2025-26 season.

Here’s a look at the top 10 mid-major players (which means we’re excluding anyone outside the Power Five conferences) returning for next season. Click to read more about why they're sticking around and how they'll prove that the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

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