When CBS Sports activities debuted the annual Prime 25 And 1 coach rankings previous to the 2022-23 season, UConn coach Dan Hurley was nonetheless discovering his footing within the sport’s higher echelon. He was 4 years into his tenure with the Huskies and had but to win a Massive East title or an NCAA Match recreation.
His school teaching trophy cupboard consisted of a 2017 Atlantic 10 Match title and a 2018 A-10 regular-season title at Rhode Island however not a lot else. Because of this, he completed on the skin wanting in on the coach rankings, that are stuffed annually with the game’s most completed leaders.
What a distinction two seasons could make.
When Hurley broke via, he broke via in a seismic, sport-altering approach. Because of this, he’s now the dean of faculty basketball coaches. Hurley usurped Invoice Self of Kansas, No. 1 in last year’s rankings, for the highest spot within the 2024-25 CBS Sports activities Prime 25 And 1 coach rankings.
With consecutive nationwide titles to his credit score, Hurley has additionally surged previous the likes of Scott Drew, Mark Few, Kelvin Sampson and Tom Izzo, all legends in their very own proper.
Hurley’s speedy ascension additionally illustrates how the teaching ranks have thinned lately. When Virginia’s Tony Bennett announced his retirement three weeks previous to the season, he joined different national-title profitable coaches resembling Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams, Jay Wright and Jim Boeheim who’ve referred to as it quits lately.
The departure of the game’s previous guard has opened the door for a brand new era of star coaches. That is mirrored on this 12 months’s Prime 25 and 1 coaches with names resembling Alabama’s Nate Oats, Duke’s Jon Scheyer and Iowa State’s TJ Otzelberger on the rise.
Right here is the collective rating of the Prime 25 and 1 school basketball coaches as the brand new season will get underway.
Prime 25 And 1 school basketball coaches
Rankings decided by voting from CBS Sports activities’ Gary Parrish, Matt Norlander, Kyle Boone, David Cobb, Cameron Salerno, Adam Finkelstein and Isaac Trotter.
1. Dan Hurley, UConn
Hurley is driving a wave of rocket gasoline. After ending outdoors the Prime 25 And 1 rating in 2022, he leapt to No. 7 in 2023 following his first nationwide title. Now, he is handed each different coach within the sport after main UConn to consecutive nationwide championships and turning down a possibility to teach the Los Angeles Lakers. (Final 12 months: 7)
2. Invoice Self, Kansas
Kansas has been bounced within the second spherical of the NCAA Match in consecutive seasons following its 2022 nationwide title. However in case you suppose there are cracks forming in KU’s basis, suppose once more. Self has restocked his 2024-25 roster with improved depth and has an elite group of potential starters who ought to be sure that KU has an opportunity to earn Self his third nationwide title. (1)
3. Kelvin Sampson, Houston
Sampson made Houston’s transition from the AAC to the Massive 12 look straightforward, as he guided the Cougars to the league’s common season title throughout their first season within the convention. It was merely the newest spectacular accomplishment within the 69-year-old’s exceptional teaching journey. The one factor lacking from Sampson’s resume is a nationwide title, and his 2024-25 squad seems to have the elements wanted to compete for one. (3)
4. Scott Drew, Baylor
The truth that a 24-11 (11-7 Massive 12) season and second spherical NCAA Match look felt like a “down” 12 months is the final word testomony to what Drew has accomplished at Baylor as he enters 12 months 22 on the job. Baylor was desolate upon his arrival and has grow to be one of many nation’s premier packages. The Bears needs to be at or close to the highest of the Massive 12 but once more in 2024-25. (5)
5. Nate Oats, Alabama
Oats cemented his place as one of many rising stars in basketball teaching as he guided Alabama to its first-ever Closing 4 look final season. The Crimson Tide have been to the Candy 16 in three of the final 4 seasons and are not going away anytime quickly as Oats continues to draw top-tier expertise. (19)
6. Matt Painter, Purdue
Painter led Purdue to its first Closing 4 look since 1980 final season because the Boilermakers reached the Closing 4 in star middle Zach Edey’s ultimate 12 months. The post-Edey period will drive Purdue to regulate, however Painter is as much as the duty. He is led the Boilermakers to fifteen NCAA Match appearances in 19 seasons on the job. (10)
7. Mark Few, Gonzaga
Gonzaga’s case for an NCAA Match bid seemed shaky early in WCC play final season. However Few rallied his troops and led the Zags to their ninth straight Candy 16, which is the longest energetic streak in school basketball. He is without doubt one of the all-time nice program builders and has one other squad able to making a deep run within the Massive Dance. (4)
8. Tom Izzo, Michigan State
Izzo vowed after Michigan State’s second-round loss to North Carolina within the 2024 NCAA Match that he’ll take the Spartans on one other deep run or that, “I will die attempting.” Coming into his thirty first season, Izzo is aware of higher than any of his friends what it takes to reach March. He is made eight Closing 4 appearances, which is essentially the most amongst energetic coaches. (2)
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9. Rick Pitino, St. John’s
Pitino’s seven Closing 4 appearances are second solely to Izzo amongst energetic coaches. He led St. John’s to the doorstep of the NCAA Match final season in his first 12 months on the job and now has the roster to interrupt via and attain the Massive Dance. Although he is 72, Pitino appears to have greater than sufficient vigor to deal with the challenges of an evolving sport. (9)
10. John Calipari, Arkansas
Calipari is third behind Izzo and Pitino in most Closing 4 appearances by an energetic coach with six. He’s in a race with Pitino to see who can grow to be the primary coach to ever lead 4 packages to a Closing 4. His first workforce at Arkansas actually has the expertise to make a run, however Calipari’s teaching acumen will likely be examined in an SEC that needs to be deep as ever. (8)
11. Bruce Pearl, Auburn
Pearl gained his second SEC Match title with Auburn final season as he guided the Tigers to a 27-8 (13-5 SEC) season. Although a first-round NCAA Match loss to Yale made for a disappointing finish, it was one more sturdy season for a program that was lifeless previous to his arrival. Now getting into his eleventh season, Pearl has the Tigers poised for SEC title competition but once more. (13)
12. Tommy Lloyd, Arizona
Lloyd has breathed recent life into Arizona throughout his three seasons after spending greater than twenty years as Mark Few’s right-hand man at Gonzaga. He is already guided the Wildcats to 2 Pac-12 titles and two Pac-12 Match championships. Below Lloyd’s path, this system is poised to be a direct menace because it transitions to the Massive 12. (14)
13. Rick Barnes, Tennessee
Tennessee has been a No. 5 seed or higher in six straight NCAA Tournaments below Barnes, who simply led the Volunteers to their second-ever Elite Eight look. Now getting into 12 months 10 on the job, Barnes is displaying no indicators of slowing down. The 70-year-old former Texas coach has Tennessee working as a constant winner within the SEC’s more and more crowded higher tier. (20)
14. Shaka Sensible, Marquette
Sensible has established Marquette as a mannequin of stability within the portal period, managing to maintain his groups intact from season to season in a approach that is just about unprecedented elsewhere within the nation. He is posted a 75-30 mark in three seasons with the Golden Eagles whereas guiding them to 3 straight NCAA Tournaments. (16)
15. Greg McDermott, Creighton
McDermott has discovered his stride at Creighton, main the Bluejays to 3 Candy 16 appearances within the final 4 seasons. As he enters his fifteenth season on the job, his program is working firmly within the higher echelon of a aggressive Massive East. With star middle Ryan Kalkbrenner again for his fifth season, Creighton ought to once more be positioned for a deep March run. (17)
16. TJ Otzelberger, Iowa State
Otzelberger inherited an Iowa State program that went 2-22 within the 2020-21 season and has taken it to 3 straight NCAA Match appearances, together with a pair of Candy 16s. The Cyclones have been deadly defensively below his path and are returning their prime 4 scorers from a workforce that reached the doorstep of the Elite Eight. (N/A)
17. Jon Scheyer, Duke
Duke has posted 27-9 information in every of Scheyer’s first two seasons and made postseason strides final season by reaching the Elite Eight. He is cemented the Blue Devils because the premier vacation spot for blue-chip prospects and has a supremely proficient 2024-25 workforce headlined by No. 1 total prospect Cooper Flagg. (N/A)
18. Brad Underwood, Illinois
Underwood led Illinois to the Elite Eight final season, which was the Illini’s deepest plunge within the Massive Dance since reaching the 2005 nationwide title recreation. He is additionally guided Illinois to 4 straight NCAA Match appearances for the primary time because the tenures of Invoice Self and Bruce Weber within the early 2000s. (N/A)
19. Mick Cronin, UCLA
Cronin led UCLA to 3 straight Candy 16s and the 2021 nationwide title recreation earlier than a 16-17 season in 2023-24. Do not depend on the previous longtime Cincinnati coach having back-to-back down years. Even amid the transition to the Massive Ten, Cronin seems to have the right combination of returning expertise and transfers required to get the Bruins dancing once more. (11)
20. Randy Bennett, Saint Mary’s
Bennett is getting into his twenty fourth season at Saint Mary’s and has the Gaels working at a better degree than ever earlier than. He is guided this system to a No. 5 seed in three straight NCAA Tournaments and continues to go toe-to-toe with Gonzaga for WCC supremacy. The Gaels gained the league outright final season after sharing the title in 2023. (15)
21. Brian Dutcher, San Diego State
San Diego State adopted up its look within the 2023 nationwide title recreation by reaching the Candy 16 final season. The Aztecs have made the NCAA Match 4 straight years below Dutcher’s path. He is by no means gained fewer than 21 video games in his seven seasons and owns a 91-30 mark within the burgeoning Mountain West. (24)
22. Hubert Davis, North Carolina
North Carolina gained the ACC outright by two video games in 2024, marking Davis’ first league title in three seasons on the job. With All-American guard RJ Davis again for a fifth season, the Tar Heels are poised to problem for league supremacy once more. Succeeding a legend like Roy Williams is a tall process, however Davis is dealing with it with a deft contact. (N/A)
23. Eric Musselman, USC
After three straight journeys to the second weekend of the NCAA Match, Arkansas bottomed out in Musselman’s fifth and ultimate season. Now at USC, the fiery and well-traveled former Golden State Warriors coach is tasked with elevating a USC program that’s transitioning to the Massive Ten. Given the success he had with the Razorbacks and at Nevada, he needs to be up for the duty. (12)
24. Sean Miller, Xavier
Miller’s second stint at Xavier hit a 12 months 2 snag because the Musketeers missed the NCAA Match final season with a 16-18 document. However Miller’s observe document speaks for itself. Within the 10-season span between 2008 and 2017, Miller’s groups at Xavier and Arizona reached the second weekend of the Massive Dance seven occasions. (21)
25. Dusty Might, Michigan
After performing the herculean process of creating FAU right into a basketball model, Might is on to Michigan to switch Juwan Howard. He is assembled a aggressive roster for his first season on the job however will nonetheless be challenged by the pains of a deep convention. We’ll quickly discover out if Might merely discovered lightning in a bottle with the Owls or whether or not he is one of many elite coaches of his era. (N/A)
And 1: Chris Beard, Ole Miss
Beard’s first workforce at Ole Miss ran out of gasoline within the season’s second half and missed the NCAA Match with a 20-12 document. However he is received a robust observe document of rapidly turning packages round, and the indicators of progress had been evident with the Rebels. His second workforce needs to be improved sufficient to go dancing. (26)
