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March Madness: 5 coaches who could make leap to NBA

By Josh Barnhill

Jan 5, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari reacts to an officials call during the first half of a game against the LSU Tigers at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 5, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari reacts to an officials call during the first half of a game against the LSU Tigers at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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March Madness is always a time to make a name for yourself in hopes of a leap to the NBA.

Sometimes a college coach will make a splash in the NCAA Tournament and parley that into an NBA coaching job. Other times, a great coach with a team that fizzles out early in the big dance may have them itching to get out of the college game.

After the 2007 season, Billy Donovan thought he was ready and accepted an offer to coach the Orlando Magic after back-to-back national titles with Florida. After some reflection, however, he decided to come back to the Gators for another seven years. He eventually took an NBA job and is now in his first year as Oklahoma City Thunder head coach.

Rick Pitino won the 1996 national championship with Kentucky. Then after finishing runner-up in 1997 he jumped to the next level with the Boston Celtics. Things didn’t go so well and he was back in college with Louisville by 2001.

The Celtics decided to dip into the college ranks again, however, with Brad Stevens. He made a name for himself in 2010 and 2011 by making improbable runs with Butler to the Final Four, losing in the championship game both years. He’s currently in his third year with the Celtics and is considered one of the brightest young coaches in the league.

Those are a few recent examples, but the list could go on for a while. Guys like Larry Brown have taken an NCAA Tournament run and turned it into a lifetime of NBA head coaching stops. College basketball is a hot bed for coaching talent, so the NBA will always test those waters.

Here’s a look at which college coaches may be looking for a step up in competition…

Next: No. 5

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