15 Best Current College Basketball Coaches in

We expect the upcoming NCAA basketball season to be one of the best ones ever.

The NCAA Tournament, which we had been waiting for years, and Baylor’s historic national championship win made last season exceptional.

Because of the pandemic-shortened season, the NCAA has now extended eligibility by one year, so the entire country will benefit from the return of a lot of talented players this season.

As we move forward, we are approaching a new season that may be even better than the previous one, but which will undoubtedly test the mettle of these programs’ head coaches.

The list of the latter will only keep expanding. The sport has it all, from living legends to brand-new head coaches. Roy Williams and Lon Kruger’s last performances were during the 2017–18 season, and we will remember Mike Krzyzewski for his incredible Hall of Fame career the following year.

We’ll be ranking the best current college basketball coaches in 2024. These rankings are still not determined by a strict system, despite being based on several distinct factors.

Of course, a coach’s ability to win games is crucial, but so are factors like postseason berths and victories. A novice head coach who succeeds right away may rise quickly in the rankings, whereas a veteran coach may see his rating decline if his program falters.

The rankings are not flawless, and someone will undoubtedly take issue with where each and every head coach is listed. Sports Reference and other sources were used to get statistics and information for this list of the best current college basketball coaches in 2024 and their programs.

Let’s move on to the rankings since there are 15 coaches to cover after keeping everything in mind.

Overview of the Best Current College Basketball Coaches in 2024

One of the most entertaining sports to watch, particularly during March Madness, is college basketball.

Coaches are frequently driven to greatness by the pressure placed on them.

There are so many upcoming coaches, as well as those giants who recently declared their retirement. This time next year, a few fresh names will rise even further up the list.

To observe how young and old coexist, check out a quick list of the best current college basketball coaches in 2024.

Bill Self, Kansas
Scott Drew, Baylor
Tony Bennett, Virginia
Mark Few, Gonzaga
Eric Musselman, Arkansas
John Calipari, Kentucky
Kelvin Sampson, Houston
Tom Izzo, Michigan State
Mick Cronin, UCLA
Nate Oats, Alabama
Bruce Pearl, Auburn
Hubert Davis, North Carolina
Matt Painter, Purdue
Ed Cooley, Providence
Dana Altman, Oregon

List of the Best Current College Basketball Coaches in 2024

We’re about to enter another college basketball season, and for some of the best men’s and women’s coaches in the sport, the wins will keep coming in.

Therefore, now is the ideal time for us to provide our opinion of the 15 best current college basketball coaches in 2024 at the Division I level.

These college basketball coaches are experts at winning, mentoring, and recruiting. Below is the list of the best current college basketball coaches in 2024.

1. Bill Self, Kansas

Bill Self of Kansas is one of the best current college basketball coaches in 2024.

During Self’s time in charge, Kansas has utterly dominated the Big 12. The 57-year-old native Oklahoman is great at pairing star players with multi-year guys. With 14 Big 12 regular season championships won over the past 15 years, Kansas’ “business” strategy has been successful.

Self’s home-winning percentage of over.950 is even more astounding. When it comes to defensive strategies, the head coach is outstanding. Kansas can press, but it also takes pleasure in its use of man-to-man tactics. Kansas has had nine seasons with at least 30 wins under Self’s direction since 2003–04. It included three Final Four appearances and one NCAA Championship in this.

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2. Scott Drew, Baylor

Scott Drew is one of the best current college basketball coaches in 2024. From a Big 12 laughingstock to one of the top programs in the nation, he has turned Baylor around. The Bears cut the nets down in 2024 after destroying everyone in their way thanks to a team assembled by Drew that ranks among the most dominant in the history of collegiate basketball.

While Drew advocates for a strong family culture, he also does what he preaches. Every year, Drew’s coaching prowess is on full show. Drew has shown that he’s not afraid to change things up, and he has a special ability to adapt his approach to what best suits his current roster.

According to KenPom, Baylor has had a top-25 offence and defence each of the previous three seasons. Drew has also won at least 19 games in each of the previous 11 seasons and has won back-to-back Big 12 conference championships, which is an impressive feat in a league that Bill Self has controlled for almost 20 years.

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3. Tony Bennett, Virginia

No, we’re not referring to the renowned Italian crooner.

One of the most popular names in the sport is basketball coach Tony Bennett.

He deserves praise for turning two weak to mediocre programs (Virginia and Washington State) into top-five squads.

Virginia has made strides toward being a real national power, even with Duke and North Carolina playing in the same conference.

As evidence, the Cavaliers won the 2019–20 National Championship Game last year (over Texas Tech).

It is extremely difficult to score against Bennett’s “packing-it-in” defence.

As a result, his teams are a complete nuisance to play against since they practically devour the entire clock on every possession.

Under Bennett’s direction, Virginia has had three seasons with at least 30 victories since 2009. Interestingly, Bennett is among the best current college basketball coaches in 2024.

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4. Mark Few, Gonzaga

For almost 30 years, Few has conducted his business professionally.

Prior to being given the position, he spent ten years as Gonzaga’s assistant coach.

In essence, Gonzaga was the first mid-major to establish itself as a veritable force in the national landscape.

Under Few, Gonzaga has won the WCC title 19 times in 21 years, an incredible feat.

During his extensive career, Few has a win percentage of 0.828 on his own. Even while we are aware of the lacklustre competition Gonzaga plays, there is something to be said for consistency at this level. Few have seven Sweet 16 berths, eight bids to the Elite Eight, and one bid to the National Championship in the NCAA Tournament.

Without question, Few is one of the best current college basketball coaches in 2024.

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5. Eric Musselman, Arkansas

One of the best current college basketball coaches in 2024, Musselman, is expected to take over for many years to come. Musselman’s recruiting and leadership are top-notch in the SEC, a conference with so many outstanding coaches. With the team they have this year, it might happen as soon as 2024 before he leads the Razorbacks to a Final Four.

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6. John Calipari, Kentucky

No matter how you feel about Calipari, he is an expert at what he does.

Calipari’s charisma is his best asset.

He has no qualms about signing unpredictable one-hit wonders.

Calipari does a fantastic job of not just turning his teams into title contenders but also producing top players for the NBA despite having little time to assemble squads.

He is one of the best current college basketball coaches in 2024.

Three schools—UMass, Memphis, and Kentucky—have to lead to the Final Four.

Calipari has an overall winning percentage of 0.812 in his 11 years with Kentucky.

This includes a national championship, three Final Four appearances, and five conference championships.

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7. Kelvin Sampson, Houston

After a nasty incident in Indiana, Kelvin Sampson has completely revived his career. Houston’s Cougars won 13 games in Sampson’s first season there. After reaching it in 2024, they are now a Final Four contender for the third year in a row, nine years later. Kelvin Sampson is among the current college basketball coaches in 2024. Right now, there isn’t a greater man leading the way for the Big 12 program.

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8. Tom Izzo, Michigan State

Tom Izzo is one of the best current college basketball coaches in 2024. Izzo, who is 65 years old, is already regarded as one of the all-time greats in his sport. Few have been able to match his goal of leading Michigan State to its 23rd consecutive NCAA Tournament bid.

We know teams from Michigan State for playing with a noticeable edge. This entails commitment on the defensive end of the court and a steady improvement over the course of the season. Under Izzo, Michigan State has maintained its status as a well-known national brand. Michigan State has advanced to the Final Four over one-fourth of the time in the last 24 years (seven appearances). This rate is incredible.

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9. Mick Cronin, UCLA

Cronin is a skilled winner. Cincinnati had employed Cronin, the son of a legendary high school coach, since 2006. (after leading Murray State to two tournament appearances in three years). Since 2010, Cronin has really upped the ante with the Bearcats.

Cronin is among the top college basketball coaches thanks to his streak of nine consecutive tournament appearances (with a tenth one appearing imminent).

He needs to achieve postseason success in the next stage. Cincinnati has just once progressed past the round of 32.

In the absence of making an Elite Eight or Final Four appearance, Cronin’s potential is constrained (unless he does so). He will have access to the kind of athletes needed to make this goal a reality now that he is at UCLA.

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10. Nate Oats, Alabama

Oats has accomplished roughly what we expected in his three years with Alabama, making NCAA Tournaments. He has guided the Crimson Tide to the last two victories, but last year he struggled and only won 19 games out of a possible 20. He is one of the best current college basketball coaches in 2024.

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11. Bruce Pearl, Auburn

Bruce Pearl is also among the best current college basketball coaches in 2024. Despite his NCAA violations, Pearl is an excellent coach. He has made every scene he has entered better during his career. One example of this is guiding Wisconsin-Milwaukee to the Sweet 16 stage.

Pearl steered Tennessee to six consecutive tournament appearances, five seasons with at least 20 wins, and an invitation to the Elite Eight. At the moment, Pearl is in charge of an Auburn program that is more well-known for football. Last year, Pearl guided the Tigers to a 30-win campaign. This featured a trip to the Final Four as well.

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12. Hubert Davis, North Carolina

You can’t beat a national championship appearance in your first season, but Hubert Davis, who took over for Roy Williams as the Tar Heels head coach, achieved just that.

Even though Davis is only beginning his head coaching career, UNC is already way-too-early number one pick for next season, making him one of the most well-known figures in the sport.

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13. Matt Painter, Purdue

One of the nation’s most reliable basketball programs is at Purdue. A coach who can regularly keep their basketball program in the thick of things on an annual basis deserves some praise.

He is one of the best current college basketball coaches in 2024. Painter has led Purdue to 10 NCAA Tournament appearances since 2005.

This also includes 11 seasons with 20+ victories and four trips to the Sweet 16. Matt Painter may not be well known, but he is unquestionably a top coach.

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14. Ed Cooley, Providence

The fact that Jay Wright is no longer a coach in the Big East still defies belief. Providence isn’t the easiest city to recruit, but Cooley has surmounted those difficulties. We’re prepared to go with Ed Cooley for the time being, even though we’re not convinced anyone can replace him as the best coach in the conference. Before he left for Maryland, we might have gone with Kevin Willard, but Cooley would have been close regardless.

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15. Dana Altman, Oregon

Coach Altman is quirky. He is one of the best current college basketball coaches in 2024. Man-to-man or zone defences are two common defensive schemes that many coaches choose to use.

However, Altman’s teams frequently change things up. This might be a triangle and two or a traditional 2-3 zone. Depending on the opposition, a box-and-one may also be included.

An Altman team may press when attempting to quicken the pace. Nine consecutive years of 20+ wins in Eugene have resulted from his talent for keeping opposing teams off balance (which includes one Final Four appearance).

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Coaching Styles and Their Impact on Athletes

One of the most important figures in a young athlete’s life is their coach. The psychological effect a coach has on an athlete and the performance of a team has been the subject of extensive research.

It has been shown that different coaching philosophies can either have a beneficial or detrimental impact on performance.

There is even proof that a coach’s acts and conduct might influence an athlete’s motivation.

Every coach has a special coaching approach, and how it is used will impact the performance of the players.

The various coaching philosophies may either meet or ignore an athlete’s psychological demands, which can have a tremendous impact on their motivation and performance.

Recent studies have shown that an autonomy-supportive coaching style or behaviour meets the demands of athletes and leads to overall greater success in their performance and progress.

Youth and high school athletes performed best when their coaches used democratic and social support techniques; among college athletes, it was hypothesized that a democratic coaching approach facilitated greater team cohesion and independence.

For any athlete, an autocratic or authoritarian coaching approach proved ineffective.

An autocratic style does not permit the autonomy and flexibility that athletes require to succeed.

Authoritative coaching philosophies significantly predicted the athlete’s autonomy and competency.

Impacts on Athletes

With many coaches by their side, many players will continue to develop and learn.

Since coaches have a greater influence on their athletes’ life than they might realize, it is their responsibility to serve as role models for them.

It will be crucial for them to consider a variety of coaching philosophies in order to be an effective coach and role model for their squad.

Finding the most effective route requires some trial and error, but the effort is worthwhile.

The authoritarian coaching style is the least effective, as previously stated.

A coach will appear severely and in charge, if they adopt this style. It has been shown that this has a detrimental psychological effect on athletes.

Coaches who act in an authoritarian manner toward their athletes can not build the trust and positive connections that are essential for team success.

Although a similar authoritarian style has been shown to boost competence and performance, positive relationships and support are still lacking for an athlete’s psychological requirements.

According to studies, the autonomous coaching technique is the most successful for all age groups.

Because it allows players to have flexibility and support from the coach, the autonomy coaching approach is advised.

These are the coaches that athletes look up to because they have a positive psychological impact on them.

It’s crucial for coaches to think through their alternatives and recognize how their decisions will affect the lives of several athletes.

Coaches cannot be egotistical in this position, since they must be available to meet the needs and ambitions of their athletes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do coaches pick their players?

Coaches will evaluate a player’s mental and psychological make-up, their capacity for accurately and swiftly reading and assessing circumstances, their motivational drive and willpower, as well as their emotional stability and self-confidence.
Character is revealed by the competition!

What makes an effective basketball coach?

An excellent coach needs to be active both on and off the field. They must be able to enforce rules and comprehend the distinctive personalities of each of their players.
They ought to be familiar with a player’s family history, academic record, and domestic situation.

What skills should a basketball coach have?

Basketball Coach Requirements:
A solid understanding of the game.
Attention to detail.
Be able to motivate players.
Good leadership skills.
Have excellent memory and concentration skills.
Must be in top physical condition.
Previous experience with basketball.

Why is a coach so important in basketball?

In order for each player to employ their best skills to win a match during a competition, basketball coaches arrange the game style and methods.
To figure out how their own side can advance, they also put a lot of effort into comprehending the tactics and plays used by the opposition.

Who is the best NCAA coach of all time?

John Wooden is unquestionably the best coach in college basketball history. While he lived in Southern California, his UCLA Bruins had a firm grip on the sport.

Conclusion

Well, the best current college basketball coaches in 2024 have been listed above. They are coaches that are doing so well in college basketball.

It’s challenging to be a coach. For a team to function successfully, there are several factors that must be considered and put into practice.

Every day, the choices and suggestions made by coaches have an impact on the athletes. Therefore a coach has a duty to prioritize the needs and goals of their athletes and work to give them the resources they require to be successful.

References

cbbreview.com – Top 25 college basketball coaches 2024-2024 season
newarena.com – Ranking the current top college basketball head coaches
bustingbrackets.com – Ranking all 358 D-1 head coaches for the 2024-2024 season
trine.edu – coaching styles and their impacts on athletes

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15 Best Current College Basketball Coaches

Overview of the Best Current College Basketball Coaches in 2024