Five Best Coaching Trees In College Basketball

2. Larry Brown, SMU

Feb 16, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs head coach Larry Brown talks with guard Sterling Brown (3) during the second half against the Temple Owls at the Liacouras Center. Temple defeated SMU 71-64. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Notable Proteges: Bill Self (Kansas), John Calipari (Kentucky), Mark Turgeon (Maryland)

Why He’s a Great Mentor: The well-travelled Brown learned from Dean Smith and Frank McGuire and their roots lead back to very invention of basketball.  Brown is cerebral and has intimate knowledge of both the NCAA and NBA games as the only coach to win titles in both.  He is open and willing to talk basketball with anyone.  Decades of sharing ideas about coaching and strategies make Brown the ideal tutor.

Why He’s Here:  Brown’s influence impacts the college game and the NBA.  Self and Calipari both have championships.  While his influence on the college game alone may not run as deep as Pitino’s, Brown is no doubt an icon. Even five-time NBA champion Gregg Poppovich of the San Antonio Spurs took time off as a young Division III coach to observe Brown’s practices.  While Brown’s tree is not as expansive as some of the other coaches on this list, it has produced two elite coaches in Self and Calipari that have won titles.