Best Coaches in College Basketball

[nelsonmuntz]

My ranking:

1) Jay Wright - 2 title wins in 3 years with 2 different starting lineups.

2) Mike Krzyzewski - great resume, but losing his edge

3) Roy Williams - Capable of winning it every year.

4) Squid - He is one Assistant Coach arrest by the FBI from having his entire record vacated.

5) Bill Self - solid coach at a great program. I don't think he would be the same coach if he was at Colorado or Texas Tech though.

6) Tom Izzo - some ugly early exits in recent years, but still one of the best in the game.

7) Jim Boeheim - Lots of Final Fours and has a National Championship, which puts him above the rest.

8) Tony Bennett - He will win a title some day.

9) Mark Few - post season choker, but he does run a really good program in Gonzaga

10) Bob Huggins

Thoughts?

 

[husky429]

Depends on how much stock you put in receruiting.

 

[6xChamps]

John Beilein is top 3, maybe number 1

 

[Yankees32123]

Gregg Marshall and maybe Chris Mack before Huggins. Squid is the best recruiter in college basketball but he's far from a top 5 coach IMO.

 

[Yankees32123]

John Beilein is top 3, maybe number 1

No

 

[Horatio]

John Beilein is top 3, maybe number 1

He should be on the list.

 

[Guapo]

Danny Hurley.

 

[gtcam]

No

yes, without a doubt the best game coach - regardless of last night's outcome

 

[QDOG5]

Do you want a list of who we think are the best at coaching the game or best at running a program? There are some excellent coaches who aren't great recruiters. I'd put Beilein in the category.

 

[raf46]

My ranking:

1) Jay Wright - 2 title wins in 3 years with 2 different starting lineups.

2) Mike Krzyzewski - great resume, but losing his edge

3) Roy Williams - Capable of winning it every year.

4) Squid - He is one Assistant Coach arrest by the FBI from having his entire record vacated.

5) Bill Self - solid coach at a great program. I don't think he would be the same coach if he was at Colorado or Texas Tech though.

6) Tom Izzo - some ugly early exits in recent years, but still one of the best in the game.

7) Jim Boeheim - Lots of Final Fours and has a National Championship, which puts him above the rest.

8) Tony Bennett - He will win a title some day.

9) Mark Few - post season choker, but he does run a really good program in Gonzaga

10) Bob Huggins

Thoughts?

asked wrong question. should be about recruiting. great coaching follows great recruiting.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

John Beilein is top 3, maybe number 1

He should have been above Boeheim. I wouldn't put him Top 5 though. I don't love his gimmick defenses. He gives up too many easy baskets.

 

[ctchamps]

asked wrong question. should be about recruiting. great coaching follows great recruiting.

there should be Three categories. Great recruiters, great in game coaches, great player development coaches, great end game coaches, great coaches who win with less talent, great coaches who win disregarding all the above.

 

[QDOG5]

) Bill Self - solid coach at a great program. I don't think he would be the same coach if he was at Colorado or Texas Tech though.

Self took Oral Roberts from 6-21 to 21-7 in four years, Tulsa from 19-12 to 32-5 in three years, went 78-24 in three years at Illinois (they went to the finals the after he left) and his record at Kansas is excellent although some would say he should have more than one title to his credit KU has won the conference regular season 13 years in a row. I think he'd be a winner anywhere.

 

[HuskyHawk]

He went to the NCAAs twice at Tulsa, including going 32-5 his final year. Then proceeded to win over 25 games and go to the NCAA three years in a row at Illinois. Across three schools and leagues he hasn't missed an NCAA tournament since the year before UConn won its first NC. Every year since 1998. The guy can coach anywhere.

 

[HuskyHawk]

John Beilein is top 3, maybe number 1

He hasn't done all that much. Not sure where the love comes from. Good not great.
John Beilein Coaching Record | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

 

[UConnSwag11]

My ranking:

1) Jay Wright - 2 title wins in 3 years with 2 different starting lineups.

2) Mike Krzyzewski - great resume, but losing his edge

3) Roy Williams - Capable of winning it every year.

4) Squid - He is one Assistant Coach arrest by the FBI from having his entire record vacated.

5) Bill Self - solid coach at a great program. I don't think he would be the same coach if he was at Colorado or Texas Tech though.

6) Tom Izzo - some ugly early exits in recent years, but still one of the best in the game.

7) Jim Boeheim - Lots of Final Fours and has a National Championship, which puts him above the rest.

8) Tony Bennett - He will win a title some day.

9) Mark Few - post season choker, but he does run a really good program in Gonzaga

10) Bob Huggins

Thoughts?

Take boeheim out and put in beilien in

 

[SouthBayHusky]

My ranking:

1) Jay Wright - 2 title wins in 3 years with 2 different starting lineups.

2) Mike Krzyzewski - great resume, but losing his edge

3) Roy Williams - Capable of winning it every year.

4) Squid - He is one Assistant Coach arrest by the FBI from having his entire record vacated.

5) Bill Self - solid coach at a great program. I don't think he would be the same coach if he was at Colorado or Texas Tech though.

6) Tom Izzo - some ugly early exits in recent years, but still one of the best in the game.

7) Jim Boeheim - Lots of Final Fours and has a National Championship, which puts him above the rest.

8) Tony Bennett - He will win a title some day.

9) Mark Few - post season choker, but he does run a really good program in Gonzaga

10) Bob Huggins

Thoughts?

I wouldn’t sell Bill Self short. In his very short stint at Illinois (before Kansas) he had them in with #1 seed and elite 8.

 

[ctchamps]

I'd put JC in the top three.

 

[QDOG5]

He hasn't done all that much. Not sure where the love comes from. Good not great.
John Beilein Coaching Record | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

I was surprised his winning percentage wasn't higher though he has been successful everywhere he's coached. I'd like to see him get a few more athletic players and see what he could do. Better yet I'd like to see us get those players.

 

[tzznandrew]

He hasn't done all that much. Not sure where the love comes from. Good not great.
John Beilein Coaching Record | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Beilein's teams are fun to watch, but 2 Final Fours and no titles isn't enough to get you on that list, IMO.

 

[UConnStats]

Wright, Few, Marshall, Bennett, and Huggins would be my personal top 5 for in game coaches right now. I really like Beard, Mack, White, Archie and Holtmann too.

It’s hard to rank Izzo, Self, K, Williams, and Calipari with the way they can recruit right now. I don’t think their jobs call for the same level of coaching that they used to. That’s why I left them off my list. Obviously they all have accomplished plenty.

 

[Tyler2Rings]

It makes it easier if you compare relative to the talent levels each coach recruits. (of course this will create a whole new debate)

Five * all american
1. Coach K
2. Squid
3. Sean Miller

Five *
1. Self
2. Daggum Roy
3. Izzo

High Four *
1. Jay Wright
2. Bennett
3. Boeheim

Low Four *
1. Beilein
2. Huggy Bear
3. Chris Mack

Three *
1. Few
2. Gregg Marshall
3. Mick

 

[browndog319]

I don’t know how you leave Calipari and Pitino out of this, ick factor aside.

I’d also add Matt Painter. Great coach - Purdue had a horrible loss of a key player early in the tournament but still made it to the 16. Had he not lost Haas, he would definitely have met Villanova. He’s usually a contender. Great coach.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Beard is going to be a star. I don't know if he can get Texas Tech to a Final Four, but put that guy in a real program that isn't in the middle of nowhere, and he will win a national championship.

I think Painter is a great player development and game coach, but like his mentor Gene Keady, he doesn't get the thoroughbreds.

I think Archie Miller will win a National Championship before his brother Sean.

There will be a ton of retirements in the next few years, and it will be interesting to see who emerges in that next generation.

 

[tzznandrew]

There will be a ton of retirements in the next few years, and it will be interesting to see who emerges in that next generation.

Let's hope our guy is one of those who emerges. I think he has a good shot from his history.