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Texas Tech basketball: Why Chris Beard was no-brainer Coach of the Year

By Matthew Conner

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 04: Head coach Chris Beard of the Texas Tech Red Raiders poses with Barry Bedlan, Deputy Director of AP Sports Products at The Associated Press, after Beard was named the AP Men's Basketball Coach of the Year ahead of the Men's Final Four at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 04, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Maxx Wolfson/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 04: Head coach Chris Beard of the Texas Tech Red Raiders poses with Barry Bedlan, Deputy Director of AP Sports Products at The Associated Press, after Beard was named the AP Men's Basketball Coach of the Year ahead of the Men's Final Four at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 04, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Maxx Wolfson/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

The Red Raiders’ key players have developed tremendously this season

One of the more remarkable aspects of Beard’s job has been the way players have developed under his guidance.  After sending middling 3-star recruit Zhaire Smith to the NBA following his freshman season last year, Beard and his coaching staff have helped turn two more players that were relative unknowns as recruits into sure-fire professionals.

Of course, Jarrett Culver is Beard’s star pupil.  He’s increased his scoring by 7.9 points, his rebounding by 1.6 boards, his assists by 2.0 and his steals by 0.4 per game on his way to earning Big 12 Player of the Year and All-American honors.

Rated just the No. 312 prospect in the nation coming out of high school, the Lubbock native has become a sure-fire NBA lottery pick should he declare for the draft this summer as expected.  But remarkably, his improvement is not the greatest on the team.

Sophomore Davide Moretti has blossomed from an inconsistent and somewhat timid player last year to one of the most underrated weapons in the nation.  His has increased his offensive output by 8.1 points, his assists by 1.4 helpers and his rebounds by 1.3 boards per game while his turnovers increased by only 0.5 per game despite playing 18.8 more minutes per game.

Now, Moretti has become such a good player that he is being asked whether he will return to school next year or pursue a professional career in Europe.  It is amazing to consider how far the Italian has come this year when he became a 3rd-team All-Big 12 honoree after looking  absolutely lost for most of his freshman season.  Much of Culver and Moretti’s development must be attributed to their hard work but also, Chris Beard and his assistant coaches deserve tremendous credit for turning these two marginal recruits into two of the best players in the nation.

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