Expect fired Theus to land better job at college level

The Sacramento Kings fired Reggie Theus on Monday, at which time people immediately pointed out that the list of former college coaches who have failed in the NBA is now one name longer. And they laughed. But I've never really understood this point of view, because the implication is that it's stupid for college coaches to jump to the NBA when in fact it's about the best career decision a college coach could ever make.

Don't worry, Reggie Theus. Good fortune awaits you in the college ranks. (AP)

Not only will Theus come out of this a wealthier man, but he'll be the hottest unemployed coaching candidate in all of college basketball next offseason, because he now has NBA credentials -- real or otherwise -- that will impress some athletic director and a slew of high school prospects who think the best way to get to the next level is to play for somebody with a career NBA record of 45-61. We can argue for hours whether this actually makes sense. But what isn't up for debate is the fact that it's an effective recruiting tool used most notably by Rick Pitino and John Calipari, and I'd bet the price of Barack Obama's Senate seat that Theus will, if he wants, return to college coaching with a better job than the New Mexico State job he left behind.

And that's the best thing about going to the NBA: It never hurts you.

On the other hand, When you jump from one college job to the next college job and fail, your career is never the same. One example is Matt Doherty, who won at Notre Dame, lost at North Carolina and then landed at Florida Atlantic before moving to SMU. Another example is Dan Monson, who won at Gonzaga, lost at Minnesota and then landed at Long Beach State. Yet another example is Perry Clark, who won at Tulane, lost at Miami and then landed at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

Notice a trend?

Once you fail as a college coach you are pretty much eliminated from ever landing a marquee college job. It's like getting branded with a Scarlet Letter, a big fat capital L, which is why there's nothing worse than being a failed college basketball coach if your goal is to be a future college basketball coach.

Failed NBA coach?

Now that's a resume builder!

Failing at North Carolina (like Doherty did) is unacceptable, but failing with the Boston Celtics is just fine. That's why Pitino was able to land the Louisville job upon his return to college; why Calipari was able to land the Memphis job (after the Nets fired him); why Lon Kruger was able to land the UNLV job (after the Hawks fired him); and why Mike Montgomery was able to land the California job (after the Warriors fired him). Their reputations remained intact despite the NBA pink slips, proving that the best way for a college coach to prolong his career is to go to the NBA when he has a chance, because if he wins then he's a genius and if he loses he merely returns to college completely unscathed and with an opportunity to land a similar (or more appealing) job than the college gig he previously relinquished.

That's why jumping to the NBA is a no-lose situation for a college coach.

Even if the result is that he ultimately loses a bunch of games.

And Theus will be the next to prove this theory.

Like I said before, you just watch.