Zilch/Zero/Nada: None of Ex-NBA Coaches in DI Posted Winning Pro Record

In the wake of Indiana hiring alum Mike Woodson and Bethune-Cookman giving Reggie Theus another "Hang Time" chance, a total of nine active NCAA Division I coaches are former NBA bench bosses after Michael Curry, Mike Dunlap, Mike Dunleavy Sr., Tim Floyd, Avery Johnson, Lon Kruger, Larry Krystkowiak and Terry Porter departed collegiate ranks in the last several years. Of the nine ex-NBA mentors in this group, none of them posted a winning career record as an NBA mentor. Winning at the collegiate level is a different story as John Calipari (Kentucky), 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. Kruger and other former Final Four coaches John Beilein, Calipari, P.J. Carlesimo, Lou Carnesecca, Ed Jucker, Doggie Julian, Mike Montgomery, Rick Pitino, Jerry Tarkanian, Butch van Breda Kolff and Tex Winter also compiled sub-.500 worksheets in the NBA/ABA. Sam Mitchell, an assistant at Memphis in Penny Hardaway's inaugural season (setting table for Larry Brown's hiring this summer), 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), Pitino (one) and Woodson (four) accounted for the seven winning campaigns in a total of 32 NBA seasons among the following active DI mentors: