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one guy won 3 titles with the bluest of blue bloods, the other guy built a blue blood program from nothing while winning 3 titles. Roy shouldn't ever be put above CalhounThere’s no good argument for Roy over Calhoun
That what if scenerio involving Coach K and JC makes no sense and is fantasy so changes nothing.Roy Williams at #3? Really? Because he was able to win at Kansas and North Carolina?
Boeheim has ONE championship, and he also took over an established program.
Knight was a very mediocre coach for a long time at the end of his career.
My list:
1) Wooden - even though he deserves a lot of asterisks for his achievements, 10 titles is 10 titles.
2) Calhoun - turned a nothing program into a powerhouse, and adapted to a changing game.
3) Coach K - would not have won all those championships if Calhoun had gotten to UConn a little earlier and stayed a little longer.
4) Adolph Rupp - I hate to put him this high because he is a racist scalitohole, but he modernized basketball during his time at Kentucky.
5) Rick Pitino - Won everywhere he went and revolutionized the game of basketball in the 80's and 90's.
That what if scenerio involving Coach K and JC makes no sense and is fantasy so changes nothing.
It's a highly subjective list. It is what it is. Numbers give you Wooden, but was he really that good, or a great cheat? I don't know.
As a teacher of the game of basketball, Bobby Knight might deserve #1. Not a great recruiter, often beat teams that had better players. Never saw any high major team play better fundamental basketball than his teams.
Calhoun lacked consistency. We've had this argument before, but getting in to the tournament every year and going deep often is a barometer of success. National Championships are more arbitrary, requiring everything to go right over a short span. Conference titles matter too. With some better luck (AJ Price injury), Calhoun's numbers would look better. He deserves much credit for the building aspect that Smith and Williams did not face (although KU was on probation from Brown when Roy arrived). That is the best argument for moving Calhoun up.
Glad to see Iba on the list, he is too often forgotten.
Iba won two titles right after World War II. The country had a few different priorities at the time, and many college age men did not get back until mid and late 1946 and later. It was also just a different sport back then. I don't want to give Iba too much credit for those titles.
Izzo probably belongs in the Top 10.
Saying what if Calhoun started at UConn earlier doesn’t do anything to an argument. What if Wooden didn’t coach Kareem and Bill? Doesn’t matter, it happened.
No, when you rank coaches like this, you go by the facts. It’s pointless to add fake variables.This is a basketball message board. We talk about what if’s. If hypotheticals give you the sadzz, the internet is probably not the best place for you.
Are you referencing my post? Mine wasn't an argument. Just kind of a question as food for thought as compared to the other great coaches of his generation who were all at high level programs at a much younger age.Saying what if Calhoun started at UConn earlier doesn’t do anything to an argument. What if Wooden didn’t coach Kareem and Bill? Doesn’t matter, it happened.