How Would You Rank UK's Coaches From Rupp to Today?

[mebeblue2]

Its always been this easy for me when comparing Cal and Pitino.

If its a roster full of Cameron Mills types of players, give me Pitino. If its a team full of John Wall types of players, give me Cal.

Pitino is better at getting the most out of lesser talent, while Cal is better at getting the most out of superior talent.

some truth to that, but not as much as one would think
in 96 Pitino had a loaded team with a lot of future NBA players
Pitino has one title with only a couple of future NBA players

our 2012 team had 3 solid NBA players on it, of course one of those players may go down as a top 5 NBA player of all time

very few teams have ever won a title without a few guys with NBA talent

 

[CUT-NETS]

some truth to that, but not as much as one would think
in 96 Pitino had a loaded team with a lot of future NBA players
Pitino has one title with only a couple of future NBA players

our 2012 team had 3 solid NBA players on it, of course one of those players may go down as a top 5 NBA player of all time

very few teams have ever won a title without a few guys with NBA talent

Agreed. There in lies the mark of a truly great coach. The one who consistently advances with inferior talent.

This is something that could probably be researched actually. What coach won the title with the least amount of talent? Could base it on prep-ranking top to bottom on their roster.

 

[mebeblue2]

Agreed. There in lies the mark of a truly great coach. The one who consistently advances with inferior talent.

Pitino has also had a lot of early flameouts with inferior talent and with top talent

IMHO at the end of the day, most elite coaches are about on the same level

we are just lucky to not only have a great coach, but also the greatest recruiter in the game (maybe of all time)
Duke fans have lived this type of CBB life for two decades plus

 

[CUT-NETS]

Pitino has also had a lot of early flameouts with inferior talent and with top talent

IMHO at the end of the day, most elite coaches are about on the same level

we are just lucky to not only have a great coach, but also the greatest recruiter in the game (maybe of all time)
Duke fans have lived this type of CBB life for two decades plus

Good post

 

[VAWildcat15]

I remember when Calipari came to Kentucky, a major narrative was that Kentucky would never win a Championship using the "one and done" because you needed experience to win in the NCAAT. Then we won the 2012 NCAAT and the narrative switched to something like "it's embarrassing that Calipari doesn't win every year with all that talent." Calipari is a great coach, anyone who thinks he isn't is fooling themselves, and I'm glad we have him.

Anyway, the order should be Rupp, Calipari, Pitino, Hall, Smith, Sutton, the drunk.

 

[Jkwo]

I remember when Calipari came to Kentucky, a major narrative was that Kentucky would never win a Championship using the "one and done" because you needed experience to win in the NCAAT. Then we won the 2012 NCAAT and the narrative switched to something like "it's embarrassing that Calipari doesn't win every year with all that talent."

I'd say that the media who used to say "can't win with OAD" now give Cal the reverence he deserves - I haven't heard anyone in the media say anything other than he's a great coach for many years.

Rival fans, however, have done exactly what you describe.

 

[screwduke]

I think it's funny nobody wants to admit pitino is a better COACH than cal. Cal may be the better recruiter which I guess is considered in this? But pitino Xa and Os wise is far superior than cal

Why would people admit to something that's a lie?

 

[Uk1111]

Don't agree with this. Sutton put us on probation. Had we not gotten Pitino, we would have set back much farther. BCG was not as good as Sutton, but he didn't put us on probation.

Yep, as we all know losing Smith set us back LOL!

 

[blubo]

Yep, as we all know losing Smith set us back LOL!

ten years up yet?

 

[TopCatCal]

1. Rupp- Built the program
2. Calipari- 4 Final Fours last 5 years
3. Pitino- 3 Final Fours last 5 years at UK
4. Hall- 3 Final Fours last 11 years
5. Tubby- Super fine person Mediocre coach
6. Sutton- Very good coach, but a drunk
7. Billy G.- A flat out disaster

How anyone could put Tubby over Joe B. is crazy. Tubby took over a program that had been to back to back championship games had 4 first round draft picks, & 6 NBA players. Compared to Joe B. Hall who inherited a program that had been to 1 final four the previous 14 seasons. Hall didn't have Rupp Arena & The Wildcat Lodge as recruiting tools. Plus when Hall took over UK had just integrated their program a few years earlier. So this Tubby better than Joe B stuff, please just stop it. If you erect a Mt. Rushmore of UK coaches Joe B Hall is clearly on it.

 

[UKvisitor]

Decline to rank BC if the coaches didn't come like it happened, the results would be different.

The smile on my face when thinking UK BB right now, not sure it would be there.

Their results speak for themselves.

 

[clevenger32]

1. Rupp
Then after that I rank based on the challenges they faced, how much true appreciation they had for THE PROGRAM, and their accomplishments
2. Calipari
2. Hall
4. Pitino
4. Sutton
6. Smith
7. Gillispie

Calipari. Embraced every aspect of the program and has flourished in it.
Hall. No one ever followed a legend in any sport and was as successful as Joe B. His love and appreciation for what it means to wear the uniform will never be topped.
Pitino. Was like the Phoenix. He rebuilt it and set it back to the top. My issue with him was he never appreciated or embraced from my perspective THE PROGRAM, its history, its former players, etc. He had and still has an appreciation of individuals, but...
Sutton. Eddie had a total appreciation of the program. He was a basketball history junkie. He played at Oklahoma A&M for Coach Iba, one of the icons of the day in the Rupp era. He knew what Kentucky basketball meant. Oversight in college athletics was still not what it is today with boosters. With his personal issues with alcohol, he let things externally go unchecked... that was his undoing. I still do not believe Casey put the $1,000 in the envelope. But, the fact that it all happened on his watch obviously was a negative, but, I appreciated that he was a helluva xs and os coach and he had a great appreciation for UK.
Smith. He turned a mercedes into a Yugo. Yes he won a national title. When UK would not waiver with its Nepotism rule and he could not bring on his son as a coach, he started recruiting Division II and Low D-I players to the program and you see what happened.
Gillispie. What can you say.