Rick Barnes' comments before Tennessee's game against UCLA in the NCAA Tournament may hint at how he feels about retirement
Tennessee Vols head coach Rick Barnes is starting to be the subject of retirement rumors due to the fact that he'll turn 71 later this summer. Earlier this month, ESPN's Myron Medcalf noted that there were "retirement rumors floating around about coach Rick Barnes" ahead of the NCAA Tournament. Barnes hasn't given any indication that retirement is […]
Tennessee Vols head coach Rick Barnes is starting to be the subject of retirement rumors due to the fact that he'll turn 71 later this summer.
Earlier this month, ESPN's Myron Medcalf noted that there were "retirement rumors floating around about coach Rick Barnes" ahead of the NCAA Tournament.
Barnes hasn't given any indication that retirement is on his mind. The feeling among some fans and analysts, though, is that with Barnes losing several key culture players from his roster after this season (guards Zakai Zeigler and Jahmai Mashack, specifically), the Hickory, NC native could elect to call it a career instead of going through a mini-roster rebuild.
Some comments that Barnes made before Tennessee's second-round NCAA Tournament game against the UCLA Bruins, however, seem to indicate that retirement isn't on the long-time college basketball coach's radar (at least not for now).
While speaking with reporters about the matchup against the Bruins, Barnes pointed out that he'd like for Tennessee to schedule a home-and-home against UCLA.
"I'd like to do a home and home with UCLA because of the respect that I have for that program and Mick (Cronin)," said Barnes on Friday. "It’s hard. I think our fans would be excited about them certainly coming to Knoxville and hopefully they would be excited about us coming to Pauley (Pavillion)."
Barnes, who nearly took the UCLA job in 2019 before deciding to stay at Tennessee, has spoken numerous times about the affinity he has for the Bruins due to watching the program while growing up. A home-and-home with UCLA is clearly something that would mean a lot to Barnes (we'll see if it ever actually happens).
I don't think those comments from Barnes mean that retirement is off the table. I think those comments just show that retirement isn't something that's on Barnes' mind. He's talking like he's going to be at Tennessee for years to come.
Now, maybe that changes once the offseason arrives and Barnes has some time to reflect on the season and his career moving forward.
At this point, the retirement rumors are going to continue for the rest of Barnes' career due to his age. Barnes is undoubtedly in the final chapter of his career, but I'm not sure even he knows when that chapter will end.
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