Discussion:former NBA players and their college head coaching results
A lot has been talked about with Michigan’s struggles in hoops this season. Thought I’d dig up some records on former NBA players coaching college lately. There are others but I’m hitting the ones that I remember growing up and more recent
Juwan Howard-Michigan 50-24
Aaron McKie-Temple 29-34
Jerry Stackhouse-Vandy 30-44
Penny Hardaway-Memphis 72-40
Patrick Ewing-Georgetown 68-68
Hubert Davis-North Carolina 12-5
Mike Woodson-Indiana 14-4
Danny Manning-Tulsa, WF, Mary. 120-146
Fred Hoiberg-Iowa St, Neb 135-114
Clyde Drexler-Houston 19-39
Donyell Marshall-Central Conn 40-104
Terry Porter-Portland 43-104
Damon Stoudamire- Pacific 71-77
Bobby Hurley-Buffalo, Ariz St 152-112
Johnny Dawkins-Stan, UCF 261-180
Lindsey Hunter-Miss Valley St 5-48
Total record is 1116-1143
Some of the ones above are in their first few years or less. Some coach or coached at really low profile programs. Some had success at certain schools and not others like Hoiberg at Iowa St vs Nebraska. Penny has a decent record but hasn’t made the tournament yet with a lot of talent. Some flamed out early like Drexler, Hunter, and Marshall. Juwan had early success like Davis and Woodson are this year. Overall, not great success so far for the NBA turned college head coaches.
January 21st, 2022 at 5:59 PM ^
These coaches aren’t grouped together for any reason, it did it this way when I posted it.
January 21st, 2022 at 6:24 PM ^
I honestly don't think you'll find anything that you can take from this other than maybe coaches are more likely to take bad jobs at their alma maters.
There's no conclusion you can draw that says coaching at your alma mater is better or worse than coaching anywhere else. Every situation is different and if you take 17 random coaches from around the country...you're probably going to end up with a record closer to .500 than any extreme.
Interesting data, but I'd leave it as just that...data.
January 21st, 2022 at 7:00 PM ^
Johnny Dawkins has done pretty well. A lot of these coaches are at good, historically decent to really good programs. Michigan, NC, Georgetown, Indiana, Wake Forrest, Maryland, etc. They aren’t all coaching Vanderbilt or other crappy schools.
January 21st, 2022 at 6:26 PM ^
Thanks for making that list.
I think guys like Hubert Davis should have an asterisk (or something) next to their name. UNC still recruits itself and the degree of difficulty will always be a little lower there.
January 21st, 2022 at 10:52 PM ^
UNC has had rough patches after Dean Smith left. He’s the coach now and his record will speak for itself.
January 21st, 2022 at 6:29 PM ^
Tony Bennett? Won an NC just a short time ago. Has a lot of wins at UVA. If you're gonna do it, do it right. Lotta less-regarded NBA players have gone on to coach at HBCUs, too, which might send your winning percentages in the other direction.
Unfortunately, when we have this conversation I fear that the subject is really Black coaches. At least it has been when I've seen it; and almost always derisory (as in, "all these former players suck.") From there to 'they don't know how much hard work NCAA coaching really entails' (where I've seen this convo go on various occasions) is. . . a little messy.
You need to have a comprehensive list to even begin to pretend that computing their winning percentages is meaningful.
January 21st, 2022 at 6:38 PM ^
" The only thing to fear..is fear itself."
January 21st, 2022 at 6:55 PM ^
I don’t even remember Tony Bennett playing in the NBA. Like I said, these coaches are more from my memory bank. I also found an article on former nba players turned college coaches and a lot of the ones I listed were on it, not Bennett.
January 21st, 2022 at 6:59 PM ^
“I also found an article on former nba players turned Jews coaches and a lot of the ones I listed were on it, not Bennett.“
That’s gotta be a typo.
January 21st, 2022 at 7:01 PM ^
I have no idea how spellcheck turns “college” into “Jews” ?
January 21st, 2022 at 9:03 PM ^
Brandeis will cut the nets down!
January 21st, 2022 at 6:37 PM ^
With a large enough sample size, NBA players turned coaches should be close to 0.500 . There is no reason to expect playing in the NBA equates to being a better coach. If anything it's a negative because it's a few years playing that others spend coaching or becoming a coach. Occasionally it may be a recruiting advantage, but that is time and location limited. I'll change my mind if the data show otherwise.
There are also many D2&3 players who never sniff the NBA due to athletic limits but have high leadership and basketball acumen, as well as the D1 players who don't make the league. Many become coaches. It's a deep and talented pool making it difficult to outperform.
January 21st, 2022 at 7:41 PM ^
Yeah…not sure anyone is lining up to have Gilbert Arenas coach their college program
January 21st, 2022 at 6:53 PM ^
Forgot Avery Johnson at Alabama at 75-62 as well.
January 21st, 2022 at 7:25 PM ^
Many of these guys have college assistant coaching experience, or legendary status as a college player, as the relevant credential and just happened to play in the NBA (Dawkins, Davis, Hurley, Hoiberg, Manning).
I would add Kevin Ollie to the discussion. 127-79 at UCONN. Won an NCAA title. Very successful but also not hired by another college program.
It's hard to get a job in Division I NCAA and even harder to win. It seems to me that these opportunities have only recently become accessible to former NBA guys who have not paid their dues at either a smaller program or another top college program.
The data changes quite a bit if you add Steve Alford (629-326). I suspect if you compared former NBA guys to any control group in a statistically valid way (adjusting for historic winning % prior arrival) you would find very similar records overall. Perception is driven more by the lack of success of high profile former NBA guys, which is a common (flawed) heuristic.
January 21st, 2022 at 8:08 PM ^
Forgot about Ollie as well. I figured there were plenty more of former players turned coaches out there. Alford has been successful as well, I just didn’t remember him playing in the nba.
January 21st, 2022 at 10:21 PM ^
All this really well stated. thanks.
January 21st, 2022 at 8:13 PM ^
Oops, posted to the wrong thread
January 21st, 2022 at 9:07 PM ^
Larry Brown did ok as a former NBA player turned college coach. And then pro coach. And then college coach. Well, you get the idea.
Chris Mullin (not on your list) not so much
January 21st, 2022 at 9:41 PM ^
Forgot about Mullin as well. Good ol St Johns
January 22nd, 2022 at 9:45 AM ^
The data set is so incomplete it doesn’t provide even correlational considerations.
January 22nd, 2022 at 1:55 PM ^
Sorted by win percentage:
Mike Woodson Indiana 14 4 77.78
Hubert Davis NorthCarolina 12 5 70.59
Juwan Howard Michigan 50 24 67.57
Penny Hardaway Memphis 72 40 64.29
Johnny Dawkins Stan,UCF 261 180 59.18
Bobby Hurley Buffalo,ArizSt 152 112 57.58
Fred Hoiberg IowaSt,Neb 135 114 54.22
Patrick Ewing Georgetown 68 68 50.00
Damon Stoudamire Pacific 71 77 47.97
Aaron McKie Temple 29 34 46.03
Danny Manning Tulsa,WF,Mary. 120 146 45.11
Jerry Stackhouse Vandy 30 44 40.54
Clyde Drexler Houston 19 39 32.76
Terry Porter Portland 43 104 29.25
Donyell Marshall CentralConn 40 104 27.78
Lindsey Hunter MissValleySt 5 48 9.43