10. Tom Crean (Georgia)
Georgia didn’t make the NCAA Tournament until 1983 but made the Final Four in their very first appearance. They’ve yet to match that level of success, though bringing aboard a Final Four coach like Crean could improve matters. He’s entering year two in Athens and continuing to build this program, though some impressive talent will be part of next year’s team.
Not a great player himself, Crean immediately began his coaching career after graduating from Central Michigan, serving at Alma College. He was a grad assistant under Jud Heathcote and spend five years coaching under Ralph Willard. Tom Izzo hired him to his first staff at Michigan State, though Crean would soon leave for Marquette. A high-profile coach in recent years, Crean spent 9 years each at Marquette and Indiana. He coached a Dwyane Wade-led team to the Final Four while a trio of Sweet Sixteen’s at Indiana wasn’t enough to keep his job.
Last year’s Georgia squad finished in 13th place, thanks to Vanderbilt’s awful season. This was not a talented squad, though the arrival of Anthony Edwards and other prospects suggests a step up for the Bulldogs next season. Crean is capable of impressive coaching and it wouldn’t be a shocker to see the Bulldogs compete for an NCAA Tournament bid next season.
Crean is solid, though his struggles at Indiana slightly dilute his success. The SEC is a deep league, especially when a Final Four coach is this low on the list. However, Crean’s Final Four was already 16 years ago and he’s got his work cut out to make Georgia a winner in basketball. As previously mentioned, it wouldn’t be surprising to see this Georgia team competitive in the near future, though it could just as easily go the other way.