Caught in NBA Draft: 13 Active DI Head Coaches Were First-Round Selections
June 24th, 2025 - 20:29
Did you know that the New York Knicks chose four current NCAA Division I head coaches in opening round of an NBA draft in a 12-year span from 1983 through 1994? 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 selected themselves. After former draft picks Tony Bennett, Jim Larranaga and Mike Woodson departed, following is an alphabetical list of the 23 active DI mentors - six at helm of their alma mater - picked in an NBA draft (including total of 13 in opening round):
| 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 |
| Alvin Brooks | Lamar | Lamar | San Antonio Spurs | 1981 | 10th |
| Craig "Speedy" Claxton | Hofstra | Hofstra | Philadelphia 76ers | 2000 | 1st |
| Hubert Davis | North Carolina | North Carolina | New York Knicks | 1992 | 1st |
| 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 |
| Kim English | Providence | Missouri | Detroit Pistons | 2012 | 2nd |
| Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway | Memphis | Memphis State | Golden State Warriors | 1993 | 1st |
| Fred Hoiberg | Nebraska | Iowa State | Indiana Pacers | 1995 | 2nd |
| Bobby Hurley Jr. | Arizona State | Duke | Sacramento Kings | 1993 | 1st |
| 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 |
| Damon Stoudamire | Georgia Tech | Arizona | Toronto Raptors | 1995 | 1st |
| Rod Strickland | Long Island | DePaul | New York Knicks | 1988 | 1st |
| Reggie Theus | Bethune-Cookman | UNLV | Chicago Bulls | 1978 | 1st |
| Darrell Walker | UALR | Arkansas | New York Knicks | 1983 | 1st |
| Charlie Ward | Florida A&M | Florida State | New York Knicks | 1994 | 1st |
| Maurice "Mo" Williams | Jackson State | Alabama | Utah Jazz | 2003 | 2nd |