Jack of All Trades: Steve Alford Excels On Both NCAA Court and Sideline

Stature as a great player has never had anything to do with becoming a superior coach. In fact, it can be a hindrance because of great expectations. But New Mexico's Steve Alford is among the 12 individuals in history to coach a team to the NCAA Division I Tournament after earning a spot on an NCAA first- or second-team consensus All-American squad.

Clem Haskins is the only All-American who also played in the NBA to have more NCAA tourney coaching victories than Alford, the lone All-American to coach three different schools in the playoffs. Following are the All-Americans in this rare category:

Coach School Playoff Years Alma Mater All-American Years
Steve Alford Southwest Missouri State 1999 Indiana 1st team in 1986 and 1987
Iowa 2001-05-06
New Mexico 2010-12-13
Henry Bibby Southern California 1997 UCLA 1st in 1972
Bob Calihan Detroit 1962 Detroit 2nd in 1939
Bob Cousy Boston College 1967 and 1968 Holy Cross 1st in 1950
Larry Finch Memphis State 1988-89-92-93-95 Memphis State 2nd in 1973
Sidney Green Florida Atlantic 2002 UNLV 2nd in 1983
Clem Haskins Western Kentucky 1981 and 1986 Western Kentucky 1st in 1967
Minnesota 1989-90-94-95-97-99
Walt Hazzard UCLA 1987 UCLA 1st in 1964
Branch McCracken Indiana 1940-53-54-58 Indiana 1930
Jeff Mullins UNC Charlotte 1988 and 1992 Duke 2nd in 1964
John Shumate Southern Methodist 1993 Notre Dame 1st in 1974
John Wooden UCLA 1950-52-56-62-63-64-65-67-68-69-70-71-72-73-74-75 Purdue 1930 through 1932

NOTES: The NCAA did not distinguish between first- and second-team All-Americas until 1939. . . . Alford (5-6 NCAA Tournament record entering 2013), Bibby (0-1), Cousy (2-2), Green (0-1), Haskins (11-8), Hazzard (1-1), Mullins (0-3) and Shumate (0-1) played in the NBA.