Dribble Handoff: Five Sweet 16 Head Coaches Were In-House Promotions
March 24th, 2022 - 11:56
In a typical season, about 1/5 of the NCAA DI head coaches are "next man up" in-house promotions. Top-ranked Gonzaga coach Mark Few, an eight-year assistant with the Zags before ascending to principal pilot in 1999-00, is joined by four additional Sweet 16 bench bosses - Mark Adams (Texas Tech), Hubert Davis (North Carolina), Tom Izzo (Michigan State) and Matt Painter (Purdue) - among the following seven active mentors serving as mentor for a power-conference member:
| Head Coach (Years as Aide) | Power-League School | Stint as Assistant at Same University Under Predecessor |
|---|---|---|
| Mike Boynton Jr. (1) | Oklahoma State | 2016-17 under Brad Underwood |
| Matt Painter (1) | Purdue | 2004-05 under Gene Keady |
| Mark Adams (5) | Texas Tech | 2016-17 through 2020-21 under Chris Beard |
| Jim Boeheim (7) | Syracuse | 1969-70 through 1975-76 under Roy Danforth |
| Hubert Davis (9) | North Carolina | 2012-13 through 2020-21 under Roy Williams |
| Tom Izzo (12) | Michigan State | 1983-84 through 1994-95 under Jud Heathcote |
| Greg Gard (15) | Wisconsin | 2001-02 to 2015-16 under Bo Ryan |
NOTE: Jon Scheyer is head coach-in-waiting for Duke in 2022-23 after serving as an assistant under Mike Krzyzewski for eight seasons.