Are Wooden, K or Calhoun......

[Kembafan]

That is highly subjective.

BTW recruiting has always been difficult in college, I don't really buy the idea that it is tougher now, and least it is no longer dirty and the coaches no longer have to worry about an NCAA investigation. Kelvin Samson once lost his job over phone calls and texts. We all saw the scrutiny Calhoun had to endure. UConn is at the top of the recruiting food chain right now. Karaban is in the NBA if not for NIL.

I don’t think it’s subjective. Being a head coach in the NBA is less work than being a college head coach at a top program. That’s an objective truth.

As for recruiting always being difficult. Sure. But it’s more difficult now. You have to re-recruit your own players every year. And you have to hit the portal. And you have to raise NIL money. It’s year-round. How does that compare to the NBA job? Where there’s zero recruiting? Theres some scouting draft picks but that’s waaaaay less work because it’s limited to a handful of possible choices.

 

[jibsey]

I don’t think it’s subjective. Being a head coach in the NBA is less work than being a college head coach at a top program. That’s an objective truth.

As for recruiting always being difficult. Sure. But it’s more difficult now. You have to re-recruit your own players every year. And you have to hit the portal. And you have to raise NIL money. It’s year-round. How does that compare to the NBA job? Where there’s zero recruiting? Theres some scouting draft picks but that’s waaaaay less work because it’s limited to a handful of possible choices.

Travel, massive egos and less control over the outcome surpass that in negatives but we’ll see.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

People talk about the NBA on this board like it’s a pro roller derby league or Slamball.

 

[Jaydumo20]

I agree with this. There was a time when NBA coaches were legendary. But that was long ago. Jackson was really the last of them. But back in the day you had Auerbach, Red Hotlzman of the Knicks, Heinson, Pat Riley. They were part of the fabric of their teams. Now it is some guy named Moe. Heck the head coach of the Boston Celtics, another legendary team, was coaching D2 Fairmont State in 2019. Which btw is his only head coaching experience. And he is just as likely to be out on his butt if the team doesn’t win it all this year as he is to be back. If that happens, he’ll end up in Brooklyn or Detroit or wherever there is an opening next year. Or look at Thibidau with the Knicks, Timberwolves, Bulls after 20 years as an assistant in various places. He is the prototypical NBA head coach. Start as an Assistant, then move up. Wear out your welcome in one town and move on to the next.

100%
NBA coaches remind me of backup quarterbacks in the NFL:
You rarely know where they came from, you'll not be surprised to see them on a different bench from year to year, and sometimes out of nowhere, these guys head-scratchingly get the job to actually lead a team