Coaching in the NBA certainly isn’t for the faint of heart. The job is grueling, the lifespan is short, and the players rule the day in that league.
That makes it a much different job than the college ranks, where coaches get to hand-pick their players and have much more control over their programs. Solid tactical knowledge is of course important in both leagues, but recruiting becomes a much more important skill in the college ranks.
The different skill sets required between both leagues has led to some spectacular busts for college coaches who try to transition to the NBA. There have also been some occasional success stories along the way. Here are some of the noteworthy examples from recent history.
College coaches who bombed in the NBA
Rick Pitino
Pitino is a college legend, having led three different schools to the NCAA Final Four. He won national championships at both Kentucky and Louisville.
His first stint as an NBA head coach with the Knicks, wasn’t bad — he went 90-74 over two seasons. He then returned to the college ranks, winning his first national championship and raising his profile.
He returned for a second stint in the NBA with the Celtics in 1997, which ended disastrously. His pressing style was not a fit for the longer schedule against more talented players.
Pitino resigned in 2001, going 102-146 over parts of four seasons. His “Larry Bird is not walking through that door” rant remains one of the most iconic in the history of NBA coaches.
P.J. Carlesimo
Carlesimo completely turned around a Seton Hall program, leading them to six NCAA tournaments in 12 years, including a loss in the 1989 championship game.
Carlesimo then transitioned to the Blazers, leading them to the playoffs for three years. He was fired in part for never advancing past the first round. His tenure with the Warriors ended even more poorly. He was choked by Latrell Sprewell and lasted only three seasons there.
Carlesimo still got chances with the Sonics and Nets after those stints. He left the NBA after the 2013 season with a career 239-315 record.
John Calipari
Calipari coached at UMass from 1988 to 1996, leading them to five consecutive NCAA tournament appearances and one Final Four. He had a 193-71 record there, drawing the attention of the NBA.
Calipari was hired by the Nets in 1996, where he lasted for three years. He made the playoffs once, where his team was swept. He compiled a 72-112 record before returning to the college ranks.
Calipari has remained a successful college coach and won a national championship, leaning heavily on his recruiting skills to build stacked teams. Those soft skills weren’t as useful in the NBA.
John Beilein
Beilein was considered one of the best coaches in the game after leading Michigan to two NCAA championship appearances in 2013 and 2018. He compiled an impressive 571-325 record over 27 years of college coaching.
Beilein was hired by the Cavs in 2019, which ended after just 54 games and a 14-40 record. He was seen as a micromanager at the NBA level, and players did not relate at all to his communication style.
Lon Kruger
Kruger successfully built up programs at Kansas State, Florida, and Illinois throughout the 80’s and 90’s. He has a sterling 674-432 record in the college ranks and reached a Final Four at Florida.
That college success got him a job as the Hawks’ head coach in 2000. He won just 69 games to 122 losses and was fired midway through the 2002-03 season.
Kruger has since returned to the college ranks, continuing to have success at UNLV and Oklahoma.
Fred Hoiberg
Hoiberg was hand-selected by the Bulls to replace taskmaster Tom Thibodeau. Hoiberg’s offensive acumen and more laid-back attitude, along with his NBA experience, made him a promising candidate. He was one of the hottest coaching commodities after winning 67 percent of his games at Iowa State.
Hoiberg ultimately had a ton of trouble getting Jimmy Butler and others to buy into his strategies. He wasn’t helped by the poor rosters that he was forced to work with — the franchise pivoted to a full rebuild in his third year. He was fired midway through his fourth season with a 115-155 record.
College coaches who succeeded in the NBA
Brad Stevens
Stevens has seen success wherever he’s went. He led Butler to back-to-back Final Four appearances, including a 61-59 loss in the 2010 national championship game against Duke.
Stevens was hired by the Celtics in 2013 at the age of 36. Over the course of eight seasons, he went 354-282, building the team up from the bottom of the standings to three Eastern Conference Finals appearances. He finished top-eight in Coach of the Year voting for five consecutive years.
In 2021, Stevens made the transition from coach to President of Basketball Operations. He’s been as good as a lead decision-maker for the team as he was in the coaching ranks, earning NBA Executive of the Year in 2024.
Billy Donovan
Donovan is another college coach that had the advantage of NBA experience, albeit not much. He played in 44 games for the Knicks after a storied college career.
Donovan led Florida for 19 years before coming to the NBA. He won back-to-back NCAA titles and had a 467-186 record there.
There were always teams trying to get Donovan. He turned down a job at the last minute with the Magic before finally coming over with the Thunder in 2015.
Calling Donovan a success might be pushing it, particularly given the high standard that he set in the college ranks. He did make the NBA Finals with the Thunder’s trio of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook. But he’s never won a championship or finished higher than third in Coach of the Year voting.
He has lasted a long time in the NBA though, going 399-319 over nine seasons. He’s considered a solid head coach by most.