|
EVENTS
Sportsman of the Year
Heisman Trophy
Swimsuit 2001
CENTERS
Fantasy Central
Inside Game
Video Plus
Statitudes
Your Turn
Message Boards
Email Newsletters
Golf Guide
Cities
CNNSI.com GROUP
Sports Illustrated
Life of Reilly
SI Women
SI for Kids
Press Room
TBS/TNT Sports
CNN Languages
COMMERCE
SI Customer Service
SI Media Kits
Get into College
Sports Memorabilia
TeamStore
|  |
Out of their league
Pitino becomes latest college-to-NBA casualty
Posted: Tuesday January 09, 2001 1:50 AM
Updated: Tuesday January 09, 2001 8:01 AM
| |
Rick Pitino's winning percentage with the Celtics was 403 points lower than his record at the University of Kentucky. Otto Greule, Jr./Allsport |
By Jacob Luft, CNNSI.com
Rick Pitino's tenure as Boston Celtics head coach didn't remind anybody of the Red Auerbach era, but at least nobody is bringing up Roy Rubin's name.
Pitino never could translate his success in the college ranks into NBA victories, posting a .411 winning percentage in 3 1/2 seasons after leading Kentucky to the 1996 national title.
So does that make Pitino the poster boy for college coaches who failed in the pros? Not even close. Pitino is just the latest in a series of recent coaches who failed to make the transition (see chart, below).
If such a poster boy exists, it would have to be Rubin, who went from Long Island University to the 76ers in 1972-73. He went 4-47 before being mercifully fired, and the team ended up 9-73, which still stands as the worst record in league history.
Jerry Tarkanian led UNLV to an NCAA title but lasted a mere 20 games with the Spurs, at one point asking the courtside reporters for an explanation of illegal defense. Tarkanian won nine of 20 games before giving way to John Lucas, who went 40-22 with essentially the same team.
| Seeing Green |
|---|
| Pitino with the Celtics |
| Seasons: |
3 1/2 |
| Winning %: |
.411 |
| 10-Point Losses: |
72 |
| Lottery Picks: |
4 |
| Playoff App: |
0 |
| |
| |
In the past 20 years, only three coaches have gone from college jobs to the NBA and won world championships -- Gregg Popovich, Chuck Daly and Bill Fitch (see chart, below). Here are some more nuggets on the topic:
Bulls coach Tim Floyd, formerly of Iowa State University, became the fastest to reach 100 losses in NBA history (130 games). That is after leading the Cyclones to three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances from 1994-97.
First-year NBA coaches Lon Kruger and Leonard Hamilton are not exactly bucking the trend. Kruger left a talented Illinois squad to lead the Hawks, who are 12-21 (as of Jan. 8) and would be in last place if not for .... Floyd's Bulls. Hamilton took the Miami Hurricanes to the Sweet 16 last season before being lured to the pros. Now he's stuck with an uncoachable Wizards bunch (7-28) that has team president Michael Jordan exasperated.
The college-to-NBA coaching curse seems to be more of a 1990s phenomena. In the '70s, Dick Motta went from Weber State to the Bulls, four times winning 50 or more games there before moving on to Washington (and a 1978 NBA title). Jack Ramsay coached St. Joseph's for 11 years before coaching in the NBA for 18 years, winning the 1977 championship with Portland.
Bill Fitch (University of Minnesota) won an NBA title with the Celtics. John MacLeod (University of Oklahoma) has won more than 700 games in the NBA. Cotton Fitzsimmons, who once worked the sidelines at Kansas State, compiled a record of 832-775 during 20 NBA seasons.
| School of Hard Knocks |
|---|
|
College coaches haven't cut it at the NBA level recently |
| Coach |
College, Rec. |
NBA, Rec. |
| Rick Pitino |
Kentucky, 219-50, .814 |
Boston, 102-146, .411 |
| Best finish: |
National Champs, 1996 |
Fifth place, Atlantic Div. |
| John Calipari |
UMass, 193-71, .731 |
N.J., 72-112, .391 |
| Best finish: |
Final Four, 1996 |
First round, 1997-98 |
| Tim Floyd |
Iowa St., 81-47, .633 |
Chicago, 36-128, .220 |
| Best finish: |
Sweet 16, 1997 |
Last place, Central Div. |
| P.J. Carlesimo |
Seton Hall, 212-166, .561 |
Port., Gold. St., 183-223, .451 |
| Best finish: |
NCAA Runner-up, 1989 |
First round (Three times) |
| Jerry Tarkanian |
UNLV, 509-105, .829 |
San Antonio, 9-11, .450 |
| Best finish: |
National Champs, 1990 |
DNF |
| |
| Making the Jump |
|---|
|
The three college head coaches who went on to lead NBA teams to world championships in the past 20 years:
|
| Coach |
College, Yrs. |
NBA Champs |
| Gregg Popovich |
Pomona-Pitzer, 1979-86 |
Spurs, 1999 |
| Chuck Daly |
Boston Coll., Penn (1969-77) |
Pistons 1988-89, 1989-90 |
| Bill Fitch |
Minnesota, Bowling Green,
North Dakota, Coe (1958-70) |
Celtics, 1980-81 |
| |
|
Copyright © 2001
CNN/Sports Illustrated
An AOL Time Warner Company.
All Rights Reserved.
|
Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines.
|
|
