Who is currently the best men's college basketball coach?

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Depends whether you are talking coaching, recruiting, or both. All inclusive, it would have to be K, Self Cal, and Roy. Then maybe Wright.

Coaching alone - Wright and Bielein are as good as anyone in the country, period.

Anyone curious why Cal used to get all the best 1 and dones — then poof — now K gets all of them. 

[MU82]

Depends whether you are talking coaching, recruiting, or both. All inclusive, it would have to be K, Self Cal, and Roy. Then maybe Wright.

Coaching alone - Wright and Bielein are as good as anyone in the country, period.

The question is "currently"?

How are K, Self, Cal and Roy "currently" better than the guy who has won 2 of the last 3 national titles, including the second one in the college basketball equivalent of "fo' fo' fo'"?

You think they are better coaches because they have been, in the past. But currently, none of them produces the results that Wright does.

And it's a "results industry."

[warriorchick]

Anyone curious why Cal used to get all the best 1 and dones — then poof — now K gets all of them.

Cal invented the concept of an all one and done team.  I guess Coach K perfected it.

Besides, I would rather have 12 college credits from Duke than from Kentucky.

[brewcity77]

Depends whether you are talking coaching, recruiting, or both. All inclusive, it would have to be K, Self Cal, and Roy. Then maybe Wright.

I'm curious why you would think that. Is Wright not a better recruiter than anyone else on that list? He recruited Jalen Brunson, who was named Player of the Year over anyone on any of those teams. Mikel Bridges was 'Nova's second best player, recruited by Wright, and better than the second best player on any of those teams (and frankly, better than the first best on most).

I don't think getting 5-stars makes one a good recruiter. Recruiting is not just about tallying numbers but about creating a team that fits and works together. If one coach successfully recruits the 13 best freshmen in the country and they all turn out to be centers, that team without any guards is going to look pretty silly when it gets undressed by a mid-major in March.

Who was a better recruit, Dwyane Wade or the more highly rated Scott Merritt? Top-100 Jamail Jones or unrated Davante Gardner? Top-100 Haanif Cheatham or classmate Sacar Anim who now has his job? Were there really 94 recruits better than Sam Hauser in 2016?

A good recruiter doesn't just win recruiting battles, they identify the right players to succeed and win in their system. They don't get guys based on NBA pedigree, they get them based on what they will do for their own program.

Cal and K might get more McDonald's All-Americans, but based on the results of the past five years, I'd say that Jay Wright has kicked their asses up and down the recruiting trails. What makes it all the more impressive is they don't even realize how badly they are being beaten because they are too busy chasing the wrong kids.

[MUDPT]

Best BB coach ever...K over any College, NBA, women's coach...Not just college wins and success, but USA basketball...how he handled NBA greats.

Best BB college coach ever...K over Wooden.

Best Current coach (this is the original question): Jay Wright. finds really good players...molds into great team...gets most out of everyone on team. In-game adjustments great.  K and Boeheim and Roy are a bit worn out...their great recruits and assistants cover for them a bit. 

So many really good coaches. But Jay Wright wears "Best Current Coach" like a $2,000 suit. Sharp!

Coach K is a mediocre X's and O's coach. And the whole Dillon Brooks thing still bothers me.  Dude is a great leader and gets his guys to play together, but just doesn't do it for me.

[MU82]

I'm curious why you would think that. Is Wright not a better recruiter than anyone else on that list? He recruited Jalen Brunson, who was named Player of the Year over anyone on any of those teams. Mikel Bridges was 'Nova's second best player, recruited by Wright, and better than the second best player on any of those teams (and frankly, better than the first best on most).

I don't think getting 5-stars makes one a good recruiter. Recruiting is not just about tallying numbers but about creating a team that fits and works together. If one coach successfully recruits the 13 best freshmen in the country and they all turn out to be centers, that team without any guards is going to look pretty silly when it gets undressed by a mid-major in March.

Who was a better recruit, Dwyane Wade or the more highly rated Scott Merritt? Top-100 Jamail Jones or unrated Davante Gardner? Top-100 Haanif Cheatham or classmate Sacar Anim who now has his job? Were there really 94 recruits better than Sam Hauser in 2016?

A good recruiter doesn't just win recruiting battles, they identify the right players to succeed and win in their system. They don't get guys based on NBA pedigree, they get them based on what they will do for their own program.

Cal and K might get more McDonald's All-Americans, but based on the results of the past five years, I'd say that Jay Wright has kicked their asses up and down the recruiting trails. What makes it all the more impressive is they don't even realize how badly they are being beaten because they are too busy chasing the wrong kids.

I love this comment, brew, and agree with every word.

I don't know how anybody can look at the accomplishments of any coach today - including the recruiting accomplishments - and conclude that Wright isn't "currently" the best.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Cal invented the concept of an all one and done team.  I guess Coach K perfected it.

Yeah, wasn't K kind of slow to embrace the all one and done concept?

[MU82]

Yeah, wasn't K kind of slow to embrace the all one and done concept?

Heck, for years Duke bragged about being the only program that guys didn't leave even 1 year early for the NBA.

Laettner stayed all 4, Hill stayed all 4, Hurley stayed all 4, etc.

Eventually, the floodgates opened, and K decided to stop trying to fight it.

[warriorchick]

I am not sure that Kentucky has proven that the one and done concept is all that successful.

It's not like they are in the championship game every year.

[GGGG]

I am not sure that Kentucky has proven that the one and done concept is all that successful.

It's not like they are in the championship game every year.

Really the 2014-15 Dookies and the 2011-12 UK teams are the only champions that have relied primarily on one and dones.

It is by far the exception to the rule.

[Jockey]

The question is "currently"?

How are K, Self, Cal and Roy "currently" better than the guy who has won 2 of the last 3 national titles, including the second one in the college basketball equivalent of "fo' fo' fo'"?

You think they are better coaches because they have been, in the past. But currently, none of them produces the results that Wright does.

And it's a "results industry."

Good post, Mike.

I have been highly critical of K, Self, Cal, and Roy in the past. As a matter of fact, people questioned me when I questioned their coaching abilities.

However, this year, I think each of them did a better job than they normally do.

K - had a bunch of freshman and his star played even less defense than Rowsey or Howard. It was a monumental coaching move for him to go almost all zone over the last 1/3 of the season.

Self - I have always maintained he was one of the most overrated game coaches in the country, but taking these guys as far as he did was his best coaching job ever. Talent? Sure, but not as much as in recent years.

Cal - probably his weakest group of one-and-dones ever. You and I are better shooters than most of his guys. But he took the group a long way.

Roy - probably his weakest team in many years. Star player was a walk-on. Very little depth and probably not a single guy who will be a starter in the NBA. Maybe a couple deep rotation guys.

Wright - I have thought for years that he has been underrated as a game coach. But he had better players and he should win a Championship with this group. Next year will be interesting if only Brunson and Bridges leave. He will still have a lot of veteran talent plus an outstanding set of recruits who look exactly like the kind of guys Nova always has. To me, a definite top 5 team.


K, Self, Roy, and Cal will always get decent results because they get the best players and the schools have their reputations (at least for now). But I thought each did a better job than usual this year.

[MU82]

Good post, Mike.

I have been highly critical of K, Self, Cal, and Roy in the past. As a matter of fact, people questioned me when I questioned their coaching abilities.

However, this year, I think each of them did a better job than they normally do.

K - had a bunch of freshman and his star played even less defense than Rowsey or Howard. It was a monumental coaching move for him to go almost all zone over the last 1/3 of the season.

Self - I have always maintained he was one of the most overrated game coaches in the country, but taking these guys as far as he did was his best coaching job ever. Talent? Sure, but not as much as in recent years.

Cal - probably his weakest group of one-and-dones ever. You and I are better shooters than most of his guys. But he took the group a long way.

Roy - probably his weakest team in many years. Star player was a walk-on. Very little depth and probably not a single guy who will be a starter in the NBA. Maybe a couple deep rotation guys.

Wright - I have thought for years that he has been underrated as a game coach. But he had better players and he should win a Championship with this group. Next year will be interesting if only Brunson and Bridges leave. He will still have a lot of veteran talent plus an outstanding set of recruits who look exactly like the kind of guys Nova always has. To me, a definite top 5 team.


K, Self, Roy, and Cal will always get decent results because they get the best players and the schools have their reputations (at least for now). But I thought each did a better job than usual this year.

Very sound perspective, brand.

Too early to know who all is coming back for Nova, though. Would your thoughts on them next season be different if Spellman and DeVincenzo left in addition to Brunson and Bridges?

[Jockey]

Very sound perspective, brand.

Too early to know who all is coming back for Nova, though. Would your thoughts on them next season be different if Spellman and DeVincenzo left in addition to Brunson and Bridges?

Yes. With Spellman and DeVincenzo, I think they are a top 5 team.

Without them, Nova will still be in the hunt for the BE title, but not a threat to win another National title.

[MU82]

Hornets fired their coach today, and the first list of candidates includes none other than ... Jay Wright.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/nba/charlotte-hornets/article208795204.html#emlnl=Breaking_Newsletter

Would he leave Villanova for the Hornets? Not only has Wright, 56, been hugely successful at the college level, but his personality would probably be a better fit in the NBA than many other top college coaches.

It's just one sportswriter throwing spaghetti at the ceiling and seeing what might stick, but still interesting to see it. I do agree that Wright's personality would work very well in the NBA.

Frankly, even if Wright were interested, I doubt Michael would pay enough to lure him to Charlotte to coach a mediocre-at-best NBA franchise with no recent history of success, severe salary-cap issues and a not-especially-attractive landing spot for superstars.

[GGGG]

I would love it if Wright took the Bucks' job.

[MU82]

I would love it if Wright took the Bucks' job.

I would think the Bucks would be similarly unattractive to a college coach who already has a great, high-paying job and would want a legit crack at NBA titles.

[naginiF]

I would love it if Wright took the Bucks' job.

And open up The Greek Freaks bloodline to the Nova recruiting machine!  are you daft man?

[GGGG]

I would think the Bucks would be similarly unattractive to a college coach who already has a great, high-paying job and would want a legit crack at NBA titles.

I think the Bucks have a lot more to build around than most teams.  Much more than the Bobcats.  I don't think it would take too much to get them into the upper echelon of the league IMO.

I think they are the best opening in the league right now and it's not even close.  Only concern I would have as a coach is that the owners are flighty and how much control I would have crafting the roster.  But from a talent perspective, the Bucks are in decent shape.

[MU82]

I think the Bucks have a lot more to build around than most teams.  Much more than the Bobcats.  I don't think it would take too much to get them into the upper echelon of the league IMO.

I think they are the best opening in the league right now and it's not even close.  Only concern I would have as a coach is that the owners are flighty and how much control I would have crafting the roster.  But from a talent perspective, the Bucks are in decent shape.

You might be right. I probably was a little too dismissive of the Bucks' prospects in my earlier post.

It's just so difficult to build a legit contender in the NBA. I mean, the Bucks have been trying ever Nelly left. In the 30+ years since, they have won a grand total of 3 playoff series - and none since 2002.

But sure, you get the right coach, you get a few stars who choose to stay instead of bolting to NY/LA/hot team du jour, and you get a nice helping of luck (which all success stories need), and there's a chance.

[CTWarrior]

Really the 2014-15 Dookies and the 2011-12 UK teams are the only champions that have relied primarily on one and dones.

It is by far the exception to the rule.

I don't know that it is by far the exception to the rule.  Cal is the only one who has really gone "all in" on one and done and now Duke for a few years.  So maybe 12-13 team seasons so far, and there are 2 championships and a few more final fours.  Seems like a good tactic to me.  2 of the last 7 championships is not the exception to the rule.  Problem is there aren't a ton of those guys around and two teams trying to go in on that tactic makes it harder for both to succeed that way.

Right now the Nova way is probably the most consistent, best way to go about things.  However, now all the high majors are going to start targeting those all around guys between 6-4 and 6-8 and less on the low post or 3 point specialists and it will be harder for Villanova to get enough of those guys to dominate with.  They have the advantage of a good head start.

[warriorchick]

I don't know that it is by far the exception to the rule.  Cal is the only one who has really gone "all in" on one and done and now Duke for a few years.  So maybe 12-13 team seasons so far, and there are 2 championships and a few more final fours.  Seems like a good tactic to me. 2 of the last 7 championships is not the exception to the rule.  Problem is there aren't a ton of those guys around and two teams trying to go in on that tactic makes it harder for both to succeed that way.

Right now the Nova way is probably the most consistent, best way to go about things.  However, now all the high majors are going to start targeting those all around guys between 6-4 and 6-8 and less on the low post or 3 point specialists and it will be harder for Villanova to get enough of those guys to dominate with.  They have the advantage of a good head start.

Really?  If Marquette had a starting lineup almost entirely made up of NBA lottery picks every year, there are plenty of Scoopers who would expect them to do better than that.   Some of them expect it even without the lottery picks.

[MU82]

Really?  If Marquette had a starting lineup almost entirely made up of NBA lottery picks every year, there are plenty of Scoopers who would expect them to do better than that.   Some of them expect it even without the lottery picks.

Word.

[muwarrior69]

Ners!

[rocket surgeon]

gotta keep raising the luxury tax, ein'a?

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Hornets fired their coach today, and the first list of candidates includes none other than ... Jay Wright.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/nba/charlotte-hornets/article208795204.html#emlnl=Breaking_Newsletter

Would he leave Villanova for the Hornets? Not only has Wright, 56, been hugely successful at the college level, but his personality would probably be a better fit in the NBA than many other top college coaches.

It's just one sportswriter throwing spaghetti at the ceiling and seeing what might stick, but still interesting to see it. I do agree that Wright's personality would work very well in the NBA.

Frankly, even if Wright were interested, I doubt Michael would pay enough to lure him to Charlotte to coach a mediocre-at-best NBA franchise with no recent history of success, severe salary-cap issues and a not-especially-attractive landing spot for superstars.

I saw that he is on the Knicks list also.