Big Ten Basketball: Top 10 head coaches of the century (2000-20)

Who are the most accomplished head coaches in Big Ten Basketball this century?

The discussion can certainly be led by a few other conferences, but it’s clear that in recent years the Big Ten has become one of the deepest and most exciting basketball conferences in the country. Not only is the league packed with teams with exciting histories, but even some of the less successful programs have turned things around in recent years. Had the NCAA Tournament not been cancelled, there could have been a double-digit number of Big Ten Basketball teams looking for the conference’s first title in twenty years.

From beginning times until now, much of the success is the result of incredible coaching. It’s not a surprise to watch these coaches bring elite talent to the Big Ten, but that doesn’t diminish their accomplishments. No two programs in this conference are the same and likewise, this applies to the coaches. While some have struggled at the power conference level, others have performed incredibly.

We’re going to take a close look at the ten greatest head coaches of the Big Ten since 2000. There isn’t a magic formula to determine the coaches, even as some seem pretty apparent. We’ll put focus on record, postseason success, and how a coach elevated the total success of the program. We have plenty of factors and plenty of coaches to consider, as the Big Ten has been filled with talented recruiters and inspiring on-court leaders.

Without further ado, let’s start running through these coaches, looking closely at some of their accomplishments during their time in the Big Ten.