What Gottlieb accomplished in her time as Cavs assistant
Kelsey Russo, Cavaliers beat writer: When Gottlieb joined the Cavs in 2019, she was the first female head coach from a Power 5 conference to make the leap to the NBA, moving from California to Cleveland. She also became a front bench assistant coach under J.B. Bickerstaff this season.
While in Cleveland, she worked closely on film with Collin Sexton and in the player development of other players of their young core. Bickerstaff spoke highly of what Gottlieb brought to the coaching staff: basketball intelligence, a calming sense to the staff, trustworthiness and dependability.
How she’ll handle a return to women’s basketball and Pac-12 coaching
Chantel Jennings, women’s basketball senior writer: If Gottlieb were going to return to the college ranks, it should not be a surprise she returned to the Pac-12. Not only does she have history there, but the conference — with two teams in the national championship this past season — cemented itself as the best conference in women’s college hoops.
UCLA coach Cori Close has proven that you can win Pac-12 games in Southern California and now Gottlieb will add to the competition in SoCal as she works to invigorate a program that has only made the NCAA Tournament three times in the past 20 years.
USC’s 2021-22 outlook
Jennings: The Trojans return guard Endyia Rogers, who led the team in points, rebounds and assists. There had been rumblings that the sophomore might enter the transfer portal but perhaps Gottlieb and the commitment the athletic department made toward getting Gottlieb in L.A. would be enough to keep Rogers at SC.
But USC will need more than just Rogers. The Trojans haven’t finished in the top half of the Pac-12 since the 2013-14 season (which is also the last time they made the NCAA Tournament). In a league as deep as the Pac-12, as Gottlieb knows, she will constantly have a measuring stick in terms of games on the schedule. The first step would be bringing this lower quadrant team to the middle of the Pac-12, which would likely mean an NCAA Tournament berth.
(Photo: Jevone Moore / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)