Caught in NBA Draft: Nine Active DI Head Coaches Were 1st-Round Choices
June 22nd, 2026 - 9:40
Did you know that nine current NCAA Division I head coaches were selected in the opening round of an NBA draft? A striking number of DI bench bosses probably were a mite more interested in the NBA draft than their counterparts this week if only because they were chosen themselves. After former draft picks Alvin Brooks, Hubert Davis, Kim English, Bobby Hurley, Damon Stoudamire, Darrell Walker and Mo Williams departed after last season, following is an alphabetical list of the total of 17 active DI mentors picked in an NBA draft:
| Division I Coach | Current School | Alma Mater | NBA Team | Draft Year | Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steve Alford | Nevada | Indiana | Dallas Mavericks | 1987 | 2nd |
| Tommy Amaker | Harvard | Duke | Seattle SuperSonics | 1987 | 3rd |
| Mike Bibby | Sacramento State | Arizona | Vancouver Grizzlies | 1998 | 1st |
| Craig "Speedy" Claxton | Hofstra | Hofstra | Philadelphia 76ers | 2000 | 1st |
| Mike Davis | Mississippi Valley State | Alabama | Milwaukee Bucks | 1983 | 2nd |
| Johnny Dawkins | UCF | Duke | San Antonio Spurs | 1986 | 1st |
| Jamie Dixon | Texas Christian | Texas Christian | Washington Bullets | 1987 | 7th |
| Bryce Drew | Grand Canyon | Valparaiso | Houston Rockets | 1998 | 1st |
| Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway | Memphis | Memphis State | Golden State Warriors | 1993 | 1st |
| Fred Hoiberg | Nebraska | Iowa State | Indiana Pacers | 1995 | 2nd |
| Jim Les | UC Davis | Bradley | Atlanta Hawks | 1986 | 3rd |
| Mark Madsen | California | Stanford | Los Angeles Lakers | 2000 | 1st |
| Cuonzo Martin | Missouri State | Purdue | Atlanta Hawks | 1995 | 2nd |
| Mark Pope | Kentucky | Kentucky | Indiana Pacers | 1996 | 2nd |
| Rod Strickland | Long Island | DePaul | New York Knicks | 1988 | 1st |
| Reggie Theus | Bethune-Cookman | UNLV | Chicago Bulls | 1978 | 1st |
| Charlie Ward | Florida A&M | Florida State | New York Knicks | 1994 | 1st |