Who are the best college basketball coaches? UConn head coach Dan Hurley recently berated a referee, saying “Don’t turn your back on me. I’m the best coach in the f—ing sport.” His comment left me wondering the answer to that initial question. A handful of Hall of Fame coaches are household names, but some of these coaches are blessed with more talented rosters than others. Since we are halfway through the 2024-2025 season, let’s look at the top 10 coaches so far this season. This list is not a ranking of the best coaches in the sport, but merely a reflection of who has outperformed expectations and impressed the most thus far.
Top 10 Best College Basketball Coaches this Season
10. Matt Painter
Some of you might be wondering why Purdue’s Matt Painter is on this list, given that the Boilermakers were picked to finish first in the Big 10 in the preseason. Well, the simple fact is that Purdue lost two-time National Player of the Year, Zach Edey, to the NBA, and the team essentially picked up right where it left off. Edey was the centerpiece of Purdue for the last two years and dictated how they played, so adjusting so well to life without him has proven impressive. Thankfully, Painter has one of the best point guards in the country in junior Braden Smith, as Purdue sits seventh in the national rankings.
9. Rick Pitino
Surefire Hall of Fame coach, Rick Pitino, has Saint John’s firing on all cylinders right now. Pitino returned most of his roster from last year, which helps with cohesion, but the Red Storm also added 6’6’’ guard Kadary Richmond, who was one of the most sought-after transfers going into this year. He has been a huge addition this year, even sinking a game-winner last week against Providence. Pitino’s team is on a 10-game win streak, sits atop the Big East standings, and comes in at 12th in the nation. We know Pitino can take a team deep in March Madness, and this team has the potential to do some damage.
8. Tom Izzo
Another all-time great basketball coach, Tom Izzo has shown, yet again, why nobody wants to play Michigan State. The Spartans sit atop the Big 10 standings and are currently ninth in the AP national rankings. The team lost a few crucial pieces from last season including guards Tyson Walker and A.J. Hoggard, but also returned a good chunk of last year’s team.
In his 30th year as head coach, Izzo has demonstrated his brilliance in the development of his returning players. Floor general Jeremy Fears Jr. has more than doubled his points and nearly doubled his assists. Budding freshman Jase Richardson and high-flying sophomore Coen Carr combine for 18.4 PPG off the bench. The Spartans regularly deploy 10 guys every game, and Izzo has figured out a way to maximize the potential of all of them to help the team win games.
7. Greg Gard
In the 10 years with head coach Greg Gard at the helm, Wisconsin has been more than a solid program. But with the departure of their three best players ahead of this season, they were picked to finish twelfth in the Big 10 preseason poll. Gard has proved everyone wrong so far, as the Badgers currently sit in fourth in the Big 10 and 21st in the nation. The results are largely due to Gard’s development of a few of his role players from last year into key contributing players this year. Graduate transfer John Tonje has also outperformed expectations thus far and leads the team in scoring at 18.6 PPG.
6. Grant McCasland
In his second year at Texas Tech, Grant McCasland has already revived a program that reached the national championship game in 2019 but has not come close since. The former North Texas head coach has used the transfer portal to his advantage and put together an experienced roster. The Red Raiders narrowly lost to the third-ranked Iowa State Cyclones earlier this year, and just beat the sixth-ranked Houston Cougars, which ended Houston’s 33-game home win streak. McCasland has Texas Tech at 13 in the AP rankings.
5. Dusty May
Michigan was picked ninth in the Big 10 preseason poll. They currently sit third. Not a bad start for first-year head coach Dusty May. The former Florida Atlantic coach overhauled the Wolverine’s roster and has his team looking dangerous. Led by seven-footers Vladislav Goldin and Danny Wolf, Michigan boasts the 25th-highest-scoring offense in the nation. The Wolverines have floated in and out of the AP Top 25, due to three ranked wins to go along with a few rough losses. As they continue to gel, May will increasingly look like the savvy coach that he is.
4. Shaka Smart
The 2023 Coach of the Year, Shaka Smart has already established himself as one of the premier college basketball coaches. His energy and passion seep into his players and the tenacious play style of his team. Marquette’s fantastic 2023-2024 season earned them a two-seed in the tournament, and they made it to the Sweet 16 before North Carolina State knocked them off on their magical run.
Yet, even after losing their two best players, Tyler Kolek and Oso Ighodaro, to the NBA, Smart has guided Marquette to 11th in the country and third in the Big East. Kam Jones has emerged as a Player of the Year candidate, and Stevie Mitchell is one of the best defensive guards in the country.
3. Dennis Gates
Not a single person thought that Dennis Gates and Missouri would be sitting fourth in the SEC and 15th nationally midway through the season. In his third season, Gates has led the Missouri Tigers to ranked wins over Kansas, Florida, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State. Although the SEC is loaded and Missouri’s fate can change quickly, Gates has already outshined the dreadful preseason predictions of his team finishing 13th in the SEC.
2. Pat Kelsey
First-year head coach Pat Kelsey has righted the ship for a Louisville program that struggled immensely over the last few years. The former College of Charleston coach has smashed the challenge of coaching in a Power Five conference so far. The Cardinals were picked to finish ninth in the ACC preseason polls, yet currently sit third at 10-2 in conference play. Although they have yet to pick up a signature win, they continue to quietly dispose of solid teams both in the ACC and out of conference, which is why they were recently ranked 21st in the country. Kelsey deserves an immense amount of credit for the turnaround at Louisville.
1. Mark Pope
Mark Pope sits atop this list because no other coach faced as much pressure as he did at the beginning of the season. Kentucky moved on from hall-of-fame coach John Calipari, forcing Pope to fill some big shoes. Yet, he has stepped up to the challenge better than anyone thought. With a completely remade roster, Pope has guided the Wildcats to 14th in the nation. They tout the third-highest scoring offense, and they already have wins against seven teams that are or were ranked. The former national champion during his playing days at Kentucky is proving to be one of the best coaches in the game.
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