Playing/Coaching Excellence: Alford Guides 3 Schools to Playoffs
Stature as a great player has never had anything to do with becoming a good 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 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 and 2012 | |||
| 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 (5-5 NCAA Tournament record after 2012 first-round victory), 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.