![The NBA Careers of NCAA Basketball Coaches: Assessing the Success of Billy Donovan, Rick Pitino, and Brad Stevens The NBA Careers of NCAA Basketball Coaches: Assessing the Success of Billy Donovan, Rick Pitino, and Brad Stevens](https://i2.wp.com/library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_desktop/s3/2024-06/nba-canada--ff73c9fd-65db-47ad-98bc-643bc6740dd9.png?h=920929c4&itok=k_sIuF6r&w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1)
Coaching in the NBA is certainly not for the faint of heart. The work is grueling, the shelf life is short and the players rule the day in that league.
That makes it a very different job than in college, where coaches can select their players and have much more control over their programs. Of course, solid tactical knowledge is important in both leagues, but recruiting becomes a much more important skill in the college ranks.
The different skills required between the two leagues have led to spectacular failures for college coaches trying to make the transition to the NBA. There have also been some occasional success stories along the way. These are some of the notable examples from recent history.
College coaches who failed in the NBA
Rick Pitino
Pitino is a college legend, having led three different schools to the NCAA Final Four. He won national championships at both Kentucky and Louisville.
His first stint as an NBA head coach with the Knicks wasn’t bad: He went 90-74 in two seasons. He then returned to the college ranks, won his first national championship and raised his profile.
He returned for a second NBA season with the Celtics in 1997, which ended disastrously. His pressing style didn’t fit the longer schedule against more talented players.
Pitino resigned in 2001, going 102-146 in parts of four seasons. His “Larry Bird ain’t walking through that door” rant remains one of the most iconic in NBA coaching history.
PJ Carlesimo
Carlesimo completely turned around Seton Hall’s program, leading them to six NCAA tournaments in 12 years, including a loss in the 1989 championship game.
Carlesimo then transitioned to the Blazers, leading them to the playoffs for three years. He was fired in part for never getting past the first round. His time with the Warriors ended even worse. Latrell Sprewell strangled him and lasted only three seasons there.
Carlesimo still had opportunities with the Sonics and Nets after those stints. He left the NBA after the 2013 season with a career record of 239-315.
Juan Calipari
Calipari coached at UMass from 1988 to 1996, leading them to five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and a Final Four. There he had a record of 193-71, drawing the attention of the NBA.
Calipari was hired by the Nets in 1996, where he spent three years. He made the playoffs once, where his team was swept. He compiled a record of 72-112 before returning to the college ranks.
Calipari remains a successful college coach and won a national championship, relying heavily on his recruiting skills to build well-rounded teams. Those social skills weren’t as useful in the NBA.
John Beilein
Beilein was considered one of the game’s greatest coaches after leading Michigan to two NCAA championship appearances in 2013 and 2018. He compiled an impressive 571-325 record over 27 years as a college coach.
Beilein was signed by the Cavs in 2019, which ended after just 54 games and a 14-40 record. He was seen as a micromanager at the NBA level and players did not identify with his communication style at all.
Lon Kruger
Kruger successfully built programs at Kansas State, Florida and Illinois during the 1980s and 1990s. He has an excellent record of 674-432 in the college ranks and reached a Final Four in Florida.
That college success landed him a job as head coach of the Hawks in 2000. He won just 69 games and 122 losses and was fired midway through the 2002-03 season.
Kruger has since returned to the college ranks and has continued to have success at UNLV and Oklahoma.
Fred Hoiberg
Hoiberg was hand-picked by the Bulls to replace manager Tom Thibodeau. Hoiberg’s offensive acumen and more laid-back attitude, along with his NBA experience, made him a promising candidate. He was one of the best coaches after winning 67 percent of his games at Iowa State.
Hoiberg ultimately had a lot of trouble getting Jimmy Butler and others to accept his strategies. The poor rosters he was forced to work with didn’t help: the franchise pivoted toward a complete rebuild in his third year. He was fired midway through his fourth season with a 115-155 record.
College coaches who succeeded in the NBA
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Brad Stevens
Stevens has been successful wherever he has gone. He led Butler to back-to-back Final Four appearances, including a 61-59 loss in the 2010 national championship against Duke.
Stevens was signed by the Celtics in 2013 at the age of 36. Over the course of eight seasons, he went 354-282, building the team from the bottom of the standings to three appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals. He finished in the top eight in Coach of the Year voting for five consecutive years.
In 2021, Stevens transitioned from coach to president of basketball operations. He has been as good a decision-making leader for the team as he was in the coaching ranks, winning the NBA Executive of the Year award in 2024.
Billy Donovan
Donovan is another college coach who had the advantage of NBA experience, although not much. He played in 44 games for the Knicks after a historic college career.
Donovan coached Florida for 19 years before coming to the NBA. He won back-to-back NCAA titles and had a 467-186 record there.
There were always teams trying to get Donovan. He turned down a job at the last minute with the Magic before finally joining the Thunder in 2015.
Calling Donovan a success might be a stretch, particularly given the high standard he set in the college ranks. He reached the NBA Finals with the Thunder trio of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Russell Westbrook. But he never won a championship or finished higher than third in Coach of the Year voting.
However, he has lasted a long time in the NBA, with a record of 399-319 in nine seasons. Most consider him a solid head coach.
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