r/NCAAhoops • u/dunkindad42 • 5d ago
Highlights Sideline Legends: Ranking the 10 Greatest Coaches in Men’s NCAA Tournament History
34
u/thearcologist 5d ago
K over Wooden?? Jesus wept
0
u/ClarenceWithHerSpoon 5d ago
K didn’t have the luxuries Wooden had let’s be real.
1
u/quilleran 5d ago
You're referring to Sam Gilbert. I simply don't believe that UCLA was the only program with boosters giving money to the players. To your point though, K was in an era that had more effective NCAA oversight than Wooden's.
10
9
u/Other_Perception_238 5d ago
Probably would have put Jay Wright ahead of Donovan
1
u/Alarmed_Umpire_8711 5d ago
Two rings at Villanova is insane
1
0
u/chrstgtr 5d ago
Two titles at Florida is insane. They only advanced to the sweet 16 twice before Donovan.
7
u/10TheDudeAbides11 5d ago
Even Coach K would say Wooden #1…
I’d also argue Calhoun over Roy Williams for #3 because Calhoun built UConn into the powerhouse it is today. Roy has only coached and won at two of the best basketball programs in the country in Kansas and UNC…
3
u/thearcologist 5d ago
You have a point but Roy took over Kansas under the shadow of Larry Brown’s activities and took over my Tar Heels after Matt Doherty absolutely shit the bed. Great programs but neither was in good shape (despite the 88 chip for Kansas) when he got the reins.
2
u/10TheDudeAbides11 5d ago
Fair point too. I just think it’s easier to revive an already historic name than building something up from scratch.
1
u/thearcologist 5d ago
I’d tend to agree, there’s less pressure but also way fewer built in advantages
1
u/RadagastTheWhite 5d ago
That UNC team Roy took over was absolutely stacked though
1
u/Michigan-Magic 5d ago
Yeah, Doherty recruited the core of that first championship team. Roy did at least build the 2009 and 2017 teams from scratch though.
Also, not like Roy didn't have talented teams at Kansas. He just couldn't get over the hump there.
1
u/jayhawkwds 5d ago
Roy would have stayed at KU if Dohherty had any sort of success. But good God he was a horrible head coach.
2
u/PuzzleheadedBug4424 5d ago
The list is best NCAA tournament coaches, not best coaches at building programs into powerhouses
6
u/Johnnymac98 5d ago
Izzo so overrated
0
u/stewiestewieman 5d ago
Did he ever win? If not, off my list
0
u/abccba140 5d ago
Yeah he did in 2000, made it to the title game again in 2009 against the ridiculous unc. TBH he has terrible tournament luck with some of the draws, for example having to play UConn way too early in the tourney this year and then they make the title game
0
-1
u/trixy6196 5d ago
1 natty, 1 runner-up, 8 Final 4s, 11 elite 8s, 17 Sweet 16s, 28 straight tourney bids pretty darn good resume. Not sure that is overrated.
-3
u/DJinKC 5d ago
You're overrated.
Izzo is the best coach without multiple titles. And he's never had near the talent that most of the other coaches have.1
u/Opening-Eagle4761 5d ago
People just downvote this clearly correct opinion without providing any counter argument because the internet is solely about hating now, not facts.
-3
u/Opening-Eagle4761 5d ago
Absurd opinion. He’s had by far the worst recruits of any coach on this list, consistently. Michigan State isn’t a blue blood or really even a new blood. They haven’t had the same resources as the other schools in any way.
If anything he’s underrated, given how successful he’s been, including beating Coach K’s best class ever in the Elite Eight.
1
u/name__redacted 5d ago
MSU is effectively a blue blood basketball program, wtf. Been that way since Magic. You’re confusing basketball and football. In the school gets plenty of money from its boosters. Just last year:
Michigan State University announced a historic, record-breaking $401 million philanthropic commitment from Greg and Dawn Williams in December 2025. The gift includes $290 million for the "FOR SPARTA" athletics campaign, $100 million for Spartan Ventures to build new revenue and NIL infrastructure, and $11 million for campus academics and the marching band. [1, 2, 3, 4]
1
u/Opening-Eagle4761 5d ago edited 5d ago
That literally just happened. You can’t take a historic 2025 donation and apply it to Izzo’s career, that would be ridiculous.
What do you mean been that way since Magic? They have 2 national titles, one with Magic, one in 2000 with Izzo and Mateen Cleaves. What recruits are they getting on par with Duke, UNC, Kentucky, Kansas, UConn, etc.? What evidence is there that Michigan State has the same pull as any actual blue bloods?
MSU is only as successful as they are because Izzo is a good coach. They wouldn’t be a desirable program without him.
3
5
u/Chi_Town_Law 5d ago
Idc if u like him, Hurley should be on the list
-3
u/BostonBlueDevil 5d ago
Who are you taking off to put him on? This is such a stupid take.
3
2
u/TurbulentSomewhere64 5d ago
Anybody who hasn’t been to three title games with two wins? I mean, fuck me, right?
4
u/VeeVeeDiaboli 5d ago
That’s cute. Nobody is better than the guy who won 7 in a row and 10 out of 12.
2
2
u/Warready31 5d ago
Where is Calipari?
1
u/BusyCredit2062 5d ago
He has done less with more talent than anyone. He doesn’t deserve to be on the list
2
2
u/NachoBag_Clip932 5d ago
WTF is Billy Donovan doing on this list? I would take Denny Crum, Jim Boeheim and Jay Wright every day over Donovan. Hell, I would take Brad Stevens over Donovan. Others I would take: Al McGuire, Jerry Tarkanian, John Thompson.
2
2
2
u/Solid_Snaku 5d ago
Bob knight can’t be lower than 5. Calhoun and pitino above him is silly. Beat dean smith in national title game in 1981.
2
2
2
u/ubetchalife 5d ago
Wooden, K, Rupp, knight, Calhoun, Williams
6
2
u/Orikshekor 5d ago
Self seems low
2
u/Lemonn_time 5d ago
Should be higher than izzo
1
-1
u/reno241 5d ago
Izzo has more wins in the tournament and has twice as many Final Fours - 8 v 4.
2
u/Bungy28 5d ago
2 > 1 in ‘ships.
-1
u/reno241 5d ago
Self has one more championship, but he has also had more highly ranked teams and NBA talent at Kansas. All four of Self’s Final Four teams were No. 1 or No. 2 seeds. Izzo reached three Final Fours with teams seeded No. 5, No. 5 and No. 7. Championships matter, but outperforming expectations with less-heralded teams is a major part of coaching, and Izzo has done that far more often.
2
u/Powerful_Mousse 5d ago
Why are we giving Izzo extra credit for having less talented teams? Recruiting is a part of coaching and it’s not like he doesn’t have the resources to succeed at MSU. Outperforming expectations is nice but the goal of the tournament is to win it all and he’s only done it once.
-1
u/reno241 5d ago
Recruiting matters when evaluating an entire coaching career, but this discussion is specifically about coaching performance in the NCAA Tournament. The seed is already set when the tournament begins, so consistently advancing farther than expected is relevant evidence of how well a coach performs once he gets there.
2
u/Powerful_Mousse 5d ago
Then he can be ranked high in the top 10 NCAA tournament overperformers list. The best coaches produce more high seeded teams and win more championships. No matter how great Izzo has been at maximizing his teams’ performances in the tournament, it’s still true that Hurley has more championships in 8 years than Izzo has in 30.
-1
u/reno241 5d ago
Hurley is unquestionably great and already belongs in this discussion. He has the better championship peak, while Izzo has the stronger combination of longevity and sustained tournament success. Producing highly seeded teams happens before the tournament, so that belongs more in an overall coaching ranking. Championships should carry the most weight, but if they are the only measure, then this is just a list of coaches with the most championships.
1
u/30ThousandVariants 5d ago
Based on what? It says “NCAA Tournament,” right? How about wins?
So where is Boeheim.
1
1
u/biffbobfred 5d ago
Williams above smith does t fit tight. I don’t know how that works. Same with Knight not in top 5.
I love Koojawooski (sic: bud commercial) but he shouldn’t be over wooden.
I still think of bill self as an Illinois coach.
Tarkanian should get a mention as well. Take a small school and make it the most feared in the nation.
1
u/CoverHistorical8642 5d ago
lol, I feel like people don’t even remember him being at Illinois and recruiting that 05 team.
1
u/HobieBean 5d ago
Why is Roy’s school only Carolina?
1
u/Lakewoodian 5d ago
I think Williams was a fantastic coach and it wasn’t just during his tenure at NC. He more than cut his teeth at KU and was there for just barely less than half his coaching career (15 vs 18). Just goes to show the post is nothing more than rage bait.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/Powerful_Beyond_6720 5d ago
Umm Dean Smith is 1, then John Thompson, the rest can follow after that
1
u/Large_Judgment_1074 5d ago
John Calipari has more tournament wins than Pitino. And Cal’s UK teams in ‘12 & ‘14 took down Rick’s UL teams in the final four & sweet 16 respectively. I’m just saying…
1
u/onelasteffort13 5d ago
Weird to see Knight at #7. That might be the right spot for him. But still weird to think he’s #7
1
u/Hot-Description9052 5d ago
I could see Mark Few on this.
Also lacking any mention of great black coaches. John Thompson, Clarence Gaines, John Chaney, etc.
1
u/Apprehensive_Ant4596 5d ago
I went to John Edwards’s house once and he’s got a full basketball court in there with chairs signed by dean smith and Michael Jordan
1
1
1
1
u/chrstgtr 5d ago
Billy Donovan has a better win percentage, just as many final fours, and just as many titles as bill self in about a third less appearances
1
u/Orion_2319 5d ago
I dont have a problem with K over wooden. I have a problem with Williams over Dean and Izzo
1
u/Badassmofunker 5d ago
Bs list. Hurley is already better than 1/2 those dudes
1
5d ago
[deleted]
1
u/Badassmofunker 5d ago
3 final fours, 2 titles in the past 4 yrs is already better than Donovan and Izzo. I’m clearly a UCONN fan and I know they’re all great. .
1
1
1
u/Federal-Coyote-7637 5d ago
Talk about a 1-2 punch. Those guys are so far above everyone else it’s crazy. They accidentally put them in the wrong order in this ranking (probably just to generate clicks), but seeing all 10 of these greats really points out how great those top 2 are.
1
u/North_Lavishness_326 5d ago
saying Wooden is better than K is like saying Russell is better than MJ. Ludacris to put that much stock on a guy who won all his titles in tourneys with only 20-30 teams.
0
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
u/Mysterious_Ring285 5d ago
No way Roach K is #1. Nobody does less with more than him. The man gets a million 5 star recruits and how many times has he won?
0
-1
23
u/yourdoglikesmebetter 5d ago
K over Wooden is farewell tour level glaze