Great coaching performances come in many shapes, sizes and circumstances. Some are all about blending together elite talent and creating an atmosphere where each player buys in to a common goal. Some are all about coaching up a roster that is perceived to lack high-level talent, and helping them compete at a level no one expected.
The five coaches we chose to highlight below are examples of both. Each faced their own challenges and have persevered accordingly. What cannot be denied, though, is their worthiness of national recognition.
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It’s important to note that there are coaches who are not featured in the above video that also deserve praise.
First up is John Calipari, who has Kentucky on the brink of an undefeated regular season, and whose ability to convince top talent to play together is unmatched at the moment. Calipari, especially if his team goes into March Madness without a loss, should be the favorite for National Coach of the Year.
Next is Bill Self at Kansas, who looks poised to win the Big 12 yet again, adding to a decade-plus of utter dominance in what has long been one of the country’s strongest hoops conferences. The Jayhawks lost as much pure talent as anyone in the country from last year, and yet here they are atop the Big 12.
Certainly Larry Krystkowiak at Utah deserves mention. The other “Coach K” has turned Utah around, in just four years, from one of the nation’s worst high-major teams to one of the best. Utah takes on Arizona tonight in Salt Lake City with a shot at tying the Wildcats in first-place on the line.
