Butler Basketball: All-Decade Team for the Dawgs of the 2010s

SAN JOSE, CA - MARCH 20: Matt Howard #54, Ronald Nored #5, Shelvin Mack #1 and Gordon Hayward #20 of the Butler Bulldogs celebrate after defeating the Murray State Racers 54-52 in the second round of the 2010 NCAA men's basketball tournament at HP Pavilion on March 20, 2010 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) /

2 of 11

CINCINNATI, OH – DECEMBER 9: Coach Stevens looks on. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Brad Stevens (2008-2013)

This selection is a no-doubter. Brad Stevens was easily Butler’s best and most successful coach of the decade even if he only led the program for the first few years. During his time with the Dawgs, Coach Stevens led the team to back-to-back national championship games and endeared himself to many as the true embodiment of “The Butler Way”.

He finished his career at Butler with a 166-49 (.772) overall record, won three Horizon League titles, and only missed the Big Dance once in six total years (four in the decade).

Even though he left after the 2012-13 season to take the head coaching job for the Boston Celtics (NBA), there shouldn’t be a single Butler fan that criticizes that decision. Coach Stevens oozed loyalty during his time with the program as high-majors across the nation were never able to lure him away with luxurious contract offers. That includes interest from the likes of Oregon, Clemson, Illinois, Wake Forest, and UCLA.

In the end, though, it’s hard to say “no” to coaching the Celtics.

In summary, Coach Stevens is a Butler legend and there should be no doubt about that. Butler was already a solid mid-major when Coach Stevens was hired but he really took the program to the next level. Butler emerged as a national standout under his leadership and its movement to the Atlantic 10 and then the Big East can largely be attributed to his string of successful years roaming the sidelines.