Resume Building: Job Titles Aren't Always Linked to Executive Remuneration
Assistant coaches for NBA teams and power-conference members frequently are paid significantly more than head coaches for mid-major colleges. Just ask Villanova aide Baker Dunleavy (left Quinnipiac) and Virginia counterpart Ron Sanchez (Charlotte). They are among nine such coaches in the last five years in this category. David Patrick reportedly doubled his salary three years ago when forsaking head-coaching responsibilities with UC Riverside to become chief assistant at Arkansas. Billy Donlon, joining Clemson's staff as an aide last season, became the second UMKC mentor this century joining the following alphabetical list of NCAA Division I head coaches who had years remaining on their contract when they departed to become an assistant for a power-conference member or NBA franchise:
| Head-to-Assistant Coach | Mid-Major College (Tenure) | Power-League Member/NBA Team |
|---|---|---|
| Ben Betts Jr. | South Carolina State (2003-04 through 2005-06) | Oklahoma |
| Donny Daniels | Cal State Fullerton (2000-01 through 2002-03) | UCLA |
| Dean Demopoulos | Missouri-Kansas City (2000-01) | Seattle Sonics |
| Billy Donlon | Kansas City (2019-20 through 2021-22) | Clemson |
| Baker Dunleavy | Quinnipiac (2017-18 through 2022-23) | Villanova |
| Orlando Early | Louisiana-Monroe (2005-06 through 2009-10) | South Carolina |
| Dane Fife | IPFW (2005-06 through 2010-11) | Michigan State |
| Kevin McKenna | Indiana State (2007-08 through 2009-10) | Oregon |
| Jack Murphy | Northern Arizona (2012-13 through 2018-19) | Arizona |
| Bill Musselman | South Alabama (1995-96 and 1996-97) | Portland Trail Blazers |
| Dave Odom | East Carolina (1979-80 through 1981-82) | Virginia |
| Chris Ogden | Texas-Arlington (2018-19 through 2020-21) | Texas |
| Kevin O'Neill | Northwestern (1997-98 through 1999-00) | New York Knicks |
| Matt Painter | Southern Illinois (2003-04) | Purdue |
| David Patrick | UC Riverside (2018-19 and 2019-20) | Arkansas |
| Robert "Buzz" Peterson | Coastal Carolina (2005-06 and 2006-07) | Charlotte Bobcats |
| Kenneth "Doc" Sadler | Southern Mississippi (2014-15 through 2018-19) | Nebraska |
| Ron Sanchez | Charlotte (2018-19 through 2022-23) | Virginia |
| Heath Schroyer | UT Martin (2014-15 and 2015-16) | North Carolina State |
| Damon Stoudamire | Pacific (2016-17 through 2020-21) | Boston Celtics |
| Rodney Terry | Texas-El Paso (2018-19 through 2020-21) | Texas |
| Ralph Willard | Holy Cross (1999-00 through 2008-09) | Louisville |
| Brent "Buzz" Williams | New Orleans (2006-07) | Marquette |
NOTE: Painter and Williams were head-coaches-in-waiting. Stoudamire (Georgia Tech) and Terry (Texas) are now power-conference head coaches.