Legendary coaches such as Coach K and Jim Boeheim have been coaching in college basketball for many years. Some even since the 1960s or 1970s, and their legacy will still be remembered in 2060.
Bob Knight: Known as one of the greatest coaches ever, Bob Knight won three NCAA championships with Indiana University before being fired for a lack of control. He was considered a father figure to many of his players and is remembered as one of the best coaches ever.
John Wooden: Also known as “the wizard of Westwood,” John Wooden coached the UCLA Bruins from 1948 to 1975, leading them to ten championships over that time. He finished with an astonishing 88.8% win record and was the first person to be inducted into the basketball hall of fame as a player and coach.
Longest Tenured College Basketball Coaches
In the world of college sports, athletes come and go. However, there are a handful of coaches who have been around for so long that they have become synonymous with their universities. Here is a look at some of the longest-tenured college basketball coaches in Division I men’s basketball.
- Mike Krzyzewski – Duke University (1979-present)
Krzyzewski, the current head coach at Duke University, is one of the top coaches in men’s college basketball. Since taking over Duke in 1980, he has led his team to five NCAA Championships, twelve Final Four appearances and twelve ACC regular season titles. Coach K is ranked third all-time for wins in NCAA Division I men’s college basketball with 947.
- Tom Izzo – Michigan State University (1995-present)
Izzo, the current head coach at Michigan State, is one of the best coaches in men’s college basketball due to his success over many years. Since taking over Michigan State in 1995, he has led his team to six Final Fours, seven Big Ten regular season titles and five Big Ten Tournament titles. Coach Izzo is ranked fifth all-time for wins in NCAA Division I men’s college basketball with 745.
- Roy Williams – University of North Carolina (2003-present)
Williams, the current head coach at North Carolina, is one of the best coaches in men’s college basketball due to his success over a very long time. Since taking over North Carolina in 2003, he has led his team to two NCAA Championships, five Final Fours and five ACC regular season titles. Coach Williams is ranked seventh all-time for wins in NCAA Division I men’s college basketball with 735.
- Rick Pitino – University of Louisville (2001-present)
Pitino, the current head coach at Louisville, is one of the best coaches in men’s college basketball due to his success over many years. Since taking over Louisville in 2001, he has led his team to two NCAA Championships, four Final Fours and four Big East regular season titles. Coach Pitino is ranked eleventh all-time for wins in NCAA Division I men’s college basketball with 636.
- Bob Huggins – West Virginia University (2007-present)
Huggins, the current head coach at West Virginia, is one of the best coaches in men’s college basketball due to his success over a very short time. Since taking over West Virginia in 2007, he has led his team to two NCAA tournament appearances and one NIT appearance. Coach Huggins is ranked twelfth all-time for wins in NCAA Division I men’s college basketball with 632.
John Calipari Has Turned Kentucky Into a College Basketball Powerhouse
John Calipari has been the head coach of three different college basketball teams before arriving in Kentucky. He’s led them all to multiple championships and his legacy is already being re-written by fans who don’t know a lot about how he started out. John Calipari began his coaching career at the University of Massachusetts, where he spent nine years. He took them to five consecutive NCAA tournaments and won seven games in all five appearances, including the final four once. During his time there, they managed to win three conference championships.
John Wooden the Winner of Most NCAA Champions
John R. Wooden is an American former basketball player and coach. Nicknamed the “Wizard of Westwood”, he won ten NCAA national championships in a 12-year period as head coach at UCLA, including a record seven in a row. No other team has won more consecutive titles. He was named national coach of the year six times.
In college basketball, John Wooden coached from 1948 to 1975. During this period, he led the UCLA Bruins to NCAA titles in 1964, 1967, 1972, 1973 and 1975.
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