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March Madness is a time for players to truly step into the spotlight and garner recognition. There are a lot of stars made this month. Similarly, though, coaches can also brighten their stardom, and as we have seen in recent days, coaches get hired and fired by what happens during March as much as before the month.
The best coaches in the game’s existence have a long and storied history during the tournament.
Most of them are very well-known at this point, but who are the very best?
Here are the top 10 coaches in NCAA Tournament history:
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Top 10 coaches in NCAA Tournament history
10. Billy Donovan
Now the coach of the NBA‘s Chicago Bulls, Donovan delivered one of the most legendary tenures in men’s college basketball history. His Florida teams made four Final Fours during his time in Gainesville, and most notably, were the last team to go back-to-back — doing so in 2006 and 2007. That team spawned NBA players like Joakim Noah and Al Horford, among others, and cemented the coach’s legacy.
9. Bill Self
One of the best coaches in the game today, Self, has a long history in the NCAA Tournament. Since starting at Kansas in 2003-04, the Jayhawks have made the tournament in every season there was a tournament held under the former Illinois coach. That run has helped extend the NCAA record for consecutive tourney appearances to 33 for Kansas. Moreover, he has also claimed the sixth-most wins in tournament history and two national titles.
8. Tom Izzo
One of the figures known for March success, Izzo continues to deliver for Michigan State. Over the 30 years as coach, he has earned one national championship, made eight Final Four appearances and 16 Sweet Sixteen runs. He has also led the team to a tournament berth in 27 consecutive years.
7. Bob Knight
Known best for throwing a chair onto the floor, the former Indiana coach was one of the best to do it. He finished his career with 45 NCAA tournament wins, but most importantly, got the Hoosiers three national championships. Overall, Knight made five Final Fours in his career and was one of the best technicians in the game’s history.
6. Dean Smith
One of the top coaches of all time, Smith, is a legend for his work at North Carolina. His 65 wins during NCAA Tournament play are the third-most of any coach. His two national titles are one of all the titles the Tar Heels have won in the school’s history, while his 11 Final Fours are the third-most in the sport’s history, with only Mike Krzyzewski and John Wooden having more. He’s also one of four coaches in tournament history with 90 wins.
5. Rick Pitino
One of the more divisive figures in the sport, Pitino’s coaching ability has never been in question. His results speak for themselves with seven Final Four appearances and two national titles, but he’s also the only coach to take three different schools to a Final Four — doing so with Providence, Kentucky and Louisville, something that is almost improbable to think of in this day and age.
4. Jim Calhoun
Calhoun coached a lot of legends at UConn, including Ray Allen, Richard Hamilton, Ben Gordon, Kemba Walker, Emeka Okafor and Shabazz Napier. That success in developing players helped him win three national championships, becoming one of just six coaches all-time to have three or more titles. His 49 wins in tourney history are also in the top 10 among all coaches in history.
3. Roy Williams
The only coach in UNC history to win more titles than Smith was Williams, who earned three national titles when all was said and done. Williams guided nine different teams to the Final Four, and, like Calhoun, is one of just six coaches to win three or more national titles. His 106 wins are also the second-most of any coach in tournament history.
2. John Wooden
The man who created the ultimate dynasty, Wooden, needs no introduction. His 10 national titles are easily the most of all time. In fact, he has as many titles as Coach K, Williams and Self combined. Seven of the 10 titles came consecutively for UCLA, a mind-boggling number when thinking about it today. His 12 Final Four appearances are also the second most in the history of the sport, showcasing just how dominant his teams were.
1. Mike Krzyzewski
Coach K is the most notable coaching figure in the history of the sport, being notable for generations decades ago and relevant to players and fans now. His 13 Final Four appearances during his time at Duke are the most of any coach, and so are his 132 tournament wins.
He’s also one of just two coaches to win five or more titles, with Wooden collecting 10 and Coach K earning five. He also has by far the most NCAA tournament wins, with the legend owning 101 to his name.
Honorable mentions:
- Denny Crum
- Jay Wright
- Jim Boeheim
- John Calipari
- Dan Hurley
- Jerry Tarkanian
- Eddie Sutton
- John Thompson
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