Cal Sports Report

Mark Madsen Says Cal Ready to Build $100 Million Practice Facility

New Bears basketball coach also said Cal could have one of the biggest turnarounds in college basketball history and could win 20 games next season
Jake Curtis|
Mark Madsen Says Cal Ready to Build $100 Million Practice Facility
Mark Madsen Says Cal Ready to Build $100 Million Practice Facility

Cal basketball coach Mark Madsen made a number of noteworthy statements during his interview on the Jon Rothstein podcast on Monday, but the most intriguing was his announcement that Cal is about to start building a new practice facility that could cost up to $100 million.

Here's what Madsen said:

"The plans are drawn and we are close to breaking ground on an 80 to 100-million-dollar, state-of-the-art practice facility."

To which Rothstein responded:

"Well, that is significant for Cal basketball."

Significant indeed.

He did not mention where that facility will be located.

Madsen had other interesting things to say, regarding expectations for next season after Cal went 3-29 this past season:

"We believe it's not outside the realm of possibility that we could have one of the biggest turnaround in NBA history, excuse me, NCAA history. Going from three wins last year to we want to be in the 20s this year. It's possible we can do it, and it's going to take hard work."

Five transfers have already committed to Cal for next season since Madsen was hired, and he gave a rundown of those players' skills.

He also said this:

"We think we're going to make a run for the Pac-12 championship."

Madsen also said this regarding the culture he wants to instill:

"A culture of winning, a culture where excuses and any type of whining, any kind of non-accountability statement, we want to throw those out the window."

One final thing Madsen said caught my ear, and it came after Rothstein asked Madsen what he tells recruits with regard to the uncertain future of the conference and its media rights contract, especially with UCLA and USC scheduled to depart for the Big Ten in the summer of 2024.

"There will be an announcement in the short term to the intermediate term shortly that is going to be significant and will answer all the questions that any recruits or parents have in terms of media exposure."

Listen to the whole podcast. It's worth it.

.

Cover photo of Mark Madsen by Wendell Cruz, USA TODAY Sports.

.

Follow Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53

Find Cal Sports Report on Facebook by going to https://www.facebook.com/si.calsportsreport

Published
Jake Curtis
JAKE CURTIS

Jake Curtis worked in the San Francisco Chronicle sports department for 27 years, covering virtually every sport, including numerous Final Fours, several college football national championship games, an NBA Finals, world championship boxing matches and a World Cup. He was a Cal beat writer for many of those years, and won awards for his feature stories.

Home/Basketball