Five Best Coaching Trees In College Basketball

Nov 9, 2014; Louisville, KY, USA; Louisville Cardinals head coach Rick Pitino talks with forward Akoy Agau (22) during the second half against the Bellarmine Knights at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville defeated Bellarmine 82-57. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports

Ultimately the legacy of a college basketball coach is measured in terms of career wins, Final Fours and national titles. But long after a coach retires, his legacy lives on with his coaching tree.

Coaches are mentors and not only do they mentor players, they groom assistants to become head coaches of their own programs. When a vacancy occurs athletic directors compete for a chance to hire away a piece of a championship coach’s winning formula. Preparing young coaches to replicate that winning formula takes a special skill.

In this ranking of college basketball coaching trees the patriarch of the tree is an active NCAA head coach and the proteges he has tutored are active head coaches at the NCAA or NBA level. Special attention is given to those coaches who have produced championship winning understudies.

Who has the best eye for coaching talent among active head coaches? Read on to discover the five most impressive coaching trees in college basketball today.