Sports
Four big takeaways from the Dexter Lawrence trade: Barnwell sizes up the Bengals' shocking move
Bengals make a surprising move, trading for Dexter Lawrence with the 10th pick.
ESPN News1 min read
Sports
Is Johnny Dawkins building the next Big 12 powerhouse? Master P visits UCF as rumors swirl
TL;DR
Johnny Dawkins is making strides with the UCF Knights basketball program, achieving back-to-back 20-win seasons. Master P recently visited UCF, sparking speculation about his potential involvement with the team.
Key points
- Johnny Dawkins is head coach of UCF Knights basketball.
- UCF achieved back-to-back 20-win seasons.
- Master P visited UCF, raising speculation about his future involvement.
Mentioned in this story
Johnny DawkinsMaster PUniversity of New OrleansLSU
UCF Knights
Is Johnny Dawkins building the next Big 12 powerhouse? Master P visits UCF as rumors swirl originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Johnny Dawkins has spent the last ten years as head coach of the UCF Knights basketball program and his hard work is starting to pay off. After back-to-back 20-win seasons in Orlando, which included an NCAA Tournament appearance last season, the encore might be sweeter to watch.
As the transfer portal heats up across the country, there was one visit to UCF's campus this past week that was noteworthy. However, it wasn't a player checking out what's next for the Knights. Percy 'Master P' Miller reportedly took in the sights and sounds of O-Town during the open window. He wasn't there to accompany anyone, which adds speculation to why he was there?
The Grammy Award-winning artist who made his name in hip-hop in the midst of an NBA career in the 90s is the director of basketball operations and an assistant coach for the University of New Orleans. Miller is leaving the post in his hometown on July 1st after the school is being moved under the LSU system. Which begs the question: Was Coach P looking to see where he could fit in or just gathering ideas?
Miller took on the position at UNO in the wake of a point-shaving scandal and showed immediate results with a roster of handpicked talent. The Privateers nearly quadrupled the win total from the 2024-25 season, including a win over TCU in the opener.
As for UCF, there might be a need for someone like Miller to guide the program into the depths of the NIL era. Outside his successful career as a musician, he's deeply immersed as an entrepreneur in multiple business ventures. With athletic programs now being used as big-time marketing arms of most Power Four universities, some unconventional methods need to be applied. Miller's business and marketing sense mixed with Dawkins' coaching ability would put UCF on the map in the Big 12.
More:What $1 million will buy in today's college basketball NIL market
If that's the case, it might be perfect timing as well. Chris Wash resigned from his role as UCF basketball's general manager and special assistant to Dawkins back in January. Miller might be looking for his next move. We'll see if that's the case or not. Regardless, this is an interesting bit of news from Orlando.
Q&A
What recent achievements has Johnny Dawkins accomplished with UCF basketball?
Johnny Dawkins has led the UCF Knights to back-to-back 20-win seasons and an NCAA Tournament appearance last season.
Why did Master P visit UCF's campus recently?
Master P visited UCF during an open window, leading to speculation about his interest in potential involvement with the basketball program.
What is Master P's current role in college basketball?
Master P is the director of basketball operations and an assistant coach for the University of New Orleans, but he will leave that position after the school transitions under the LSU system.
