Martin Jarmond Expands on Jim Christian Decision in Boston Globe

Weeks of speculation have come to a close for men’s basketball head coach Jim Christian, whose fate was finally settled this morning when Pete Thamel broke the news on twitter that BC planned to retain Christian and further invest in the overall program. After an apparent breakthrough 2017-18 season that saw Christian’s first winning record and postseason berth in the NIT, the team regressed in year 5 culminating in a season-ending 1-7 stretch and first round ACC Tournament exit that led many Christian supporters to question whether he had control of the team. Martin Jarmond’s retention came as a surprise to many despite extending Jim Christian’s contract at the end of last season.

Julian Benbow offered a little more insight into Martin Jarmond’s decision in The Globe this afternoon. The full article can be viewed here. Jarmond, who was quoted extensively on his rationale, offered that he saw the lack of progress linked more to program investment issues than coaching. Jarmond worked with Christian to identify areas that needed immediate improvement to make the program more competitive in the ACC and pledged to invest resources where needed.

So what are these investments to the program? Jarmond pointed to needs in the areas of recruiting, travel, locker room facilities, strength and conditioning, and nutrition. He promised significant improvements to the locker rooms during the offseason, additional strength and conditioning staff for the men’s basketball team, and increased recruiting budget for Christian’s staff.

While these improvements are much needed to the program, the question remains whether Christian will be able to turn the program around- increased budget or not. The team graduates Jordan Chatman this spring and will likely lose Ky Bowman to the pros, and Jim Christian will be at the helm of a freshmen- and sophomore-heavy squad for the 2019-2020 season. For better or worse, Jarmond appears willing to give Christian his full support and more time to prove himself at the heights.