Ranking The Final Four’s Head Coaches
Ranking the Final Four head coaches in a crop that is filled with current and future Hall of Famers.
Ranking the Final Four head coaches in a crop that is filled with current and future Hall of Famers.
Between their years of experience, accolades claimed and games won, these coaches are among the best in their profession. Here’s a look at the Final Four head coaches with rankings based on their accomplishments and resumes to date:
4. Lon Kruger, Oklahoma
Essentials: This is Kruger’s fifth season as head coach of the Sooners and 30th overall in coaching. He’s a master at rebuilding programs and is the only Division I coach to ever take five different schools to the NCAA tournament.
Greatest accomplishment: Kruger led Florida to the Final Four in 1994. He coached two more years in Gainesville before departing for Illinois.
You should also know: Kruger left the college game to spend three seasons as head coach of the Atlanta Hawks, where his teams posted an overall record of 69-122. Kruger also spent a season as an assistant for the New York Knicks before taking the UNLV job in 2004.
Last word: “It’s about seeing the feelings of satisfaction on the players’ faces, seeing their hard work, their investment rewarded, seeing them feel good about this right now,” Kruger said after Oklahoma defeated Oregon. “But they’ll feel even better about it years from now. Regardless of today, they would have been looked at as a very, very good team in Oklahoma basketball history.”
3. Jay Wright, Villanova
Essentials: In his 15th season with the Wildcats, Wright’s teams have now made the NCAA tournament in 11 of the last 12 years, including a Final Four run in 2009.
Greatest accomplishment: Wright was named Naismith College Coach of the Year in 2006 when Villanova advanced to the Elite Eight.
You should also know: After serving as an assistant for Rochester, a Division III school, and Drexel, Rollie Massimino hired Wright to be on his staff at Villanova in 1987. Wright followed Massimino, who led the Wildcats to a national championship in 1985, to UNLV in 1992 before getting his first head coaching job at Hofstra in 1994.
Last word: “It’s the greatest feeling in the world to see these guys get to that point where everyone else sees that they’re as good as we see they can be,” Wright said after Villanova defeated Kansas. “But after that, it was a real sense of accomplishment and I think they really felt good about themselves individually. And that’s the greatest thing you can experience as a coach.”
2. Jim Boeheim, Syracuse
Essentials: This is Boeheim’s 40th season coaching the Orange and he’s already a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, having been enshrined in 2005. During his tenure, Syracuse has finished above .500 every year. Boeheim trails only Mike Krzyzewski on the all-time victory list.
Greatest accomplishment: The Orangemen won the national championship in 2003 with a pair of freshman, Carmelo Anthony and Gerry McNamara, leading the way.
You should also know: Since 1962, Boeheim has practically dedicated his entire life to Syracuse. He walked on to the team as a freshman a was named captain by his senior year. He returned as an assistant on Roy Danforth’s staff in 1969 and was hired as head coach in 1976 when Danforth left for Tulane.
Last word: “You know, it’s great to go to the Final Four,” Boeheim said after Syracuse upended Virginia. “It’s great for this team because I only look at the basketball side. I mean, I thought we deserved to be in the tournament, but certainly I didn’t… I wasn’t planning on getting to the Final Four. We tell the players, it’s one game. You play one game, and if you can just win one game, you get another chance. They’ve done that.”
1. Roy Williams, North Carolina
Essentials: Williams is in his 13th season coaching the Tar Heels, a tenure preceded by 15 years at Kansas. Between the two schools, Williams has posted a remarkable career winning percentage of .790 (782-208), second to only Adolph Rupp among coaches with 700 or more wins. In 2007, Williams was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Greatest accomplishment: Williams has led North Carolina to a pair of national championships (2005 and 2009).
You should also know: Williams knows how to win when it matters the most. His teams are 69-23 in the NCAA tournament and he’s been to the Final Four on eight occasions as a coach, trailing only John Wooden, Dean Smith and Mike Krzyzewski in that category.
Last word: “I’ve never wanted anything in my life for someone else as much as I wanted to get this bunch to the Final Four,” Williams said following North Carolina’s victory over Notre Dame. “I’m corny, I’m old-fashioned. I’m anything you want to say, but fortunately for me I (am) very lucky I’ve had some big-time players.”
