Zilch/Zero/Nada: None of Ex-NBA Coaches in DI Compiled Winning Pro Mark

May 12th, 2019 - 9:52

A total of 10 active NCAA Division I coaches are former NBA bench bosses after Michael Curry, Mike Dunleavy Sr., Tim Floyd, Avery Johnson, Rick Pitino and Reggie Theus departed in the past couple of years. Of the 10 ex-NBA mentors in this group, none of them posted a winning career record as an NBA mentor. New Mississippi Valley State pilot Lindsey Hunter Jr. joined Kentucky's John Calipari among seven of the 10 bench bosses failing to win as much as 40% of their NBA outings. Winning at the collegiate level is a different story as Calipari, Leonard Hamilton (Florida State) and Eric Musselman (Nevada before moving to Arkansas) each compiled at least 29 triumphs in 2018-19.

This professional downgrade is not a new trend. Former Final Four coaches P.J. Carlesimo, Lou Carnesecca, Ed Jucker, Doggie Julian, Mike Montgomery, Pitino, Jerry Tarkanian, Butch van Breda Kolff and Tex Winter also compiled sub-.500 worksheets in the NBA/ABA. Memphis assistant Sam Mitchell assembled a 185-242 mark (.433) in six NBA seasons as bench boss of the Toronto Raptors and Minnesota Timberwolves. Calipari (one), Fred Hoiberg (one) and Terry Porter (one) accounted for the three winning campaigns in a total of 24 NBA seasons among the following active DI mentors:

Head Coach Current School Career College Mark NBA Record Winning NBA Years
John Calipari Kentucky 709-209 (.772) 72-112 (.391) 1 of 3
Mike Dunlap Loyola Marymount 398-192 (.675) 21-61 (.256) 0 of 1
Leonard Hamilton Florida State 554-426 (.565) 19-63 (.232) 0 of 1
Fred Hoiberg Nebraska 115-56 (.673) 115-155 (.426) 1 of 4
Lindsey Hunter Jr. Mississippi Valley State TBD 12-29 (.293) 0 of 1
Lon Kruger Oklahoma 639-409 (.610) 69-122 (.361) 0 of 3
Larry Krystkowiak Utah 197-131 (.601) 31-69 (.310) 0 of 2
Eric Musselman Arkansas 110-34 (.764) 108-138 (.439) 0 of 3
Terry Porter Portland 28-69 (.289) 99-116 (.460) 1 of 3
Darrell Walker UALR 55-39 (.585) 56-113 (.331) 0 of 3