Pac-12 Basketball: Top 10 head coaches of the century (2000-20)

By Joey Loose | Jun 24, 2020

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 16: Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott presents Payton Pritchard #3 of the Oregon Ducks with the Most Outstanding Player award after the Ducks' 68-48 victory over the Washington Huskies to win the championship game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on March 16, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

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TUCSON, ARIZONA – JANUARY 16: Head coach Larry Krystkowiak of the Utah Utes (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

9. Larry Krystkowiak – Utah (2011-2020)

When Krystkowiak took over Utah in 2011, he was inheriting quite a unique situation. In a move tailored towards football, the Utes were set to join the Pac-12, though their basketball program wasn’t in the best shape at that point. Krystkowiak had been very successful as head coach at Montana and had briefly led the Milwaukee Bucks. He had the experience, but it was a long road to fix Utah and make them a Pac-12 contender.

His first season was one of the worst in recent Pac-12 memory, but the rebuild has been a success. By 2015, the Utes finished 2nd place in the Pac-12 and were back in the NCAA Tournament, making it all the way to the Sweet Sixteen. He added a second Tourney bid the following season and put together five straight finishes in the top 4 of the conference. He’s put Utah in the conversation in the conference, even if the Pac-12 isn’t at its strongest in recent years.

To this point, Krystkowiak has done a great job with Utah, getting not only that Sweet Sixteen but building consistency in recent years with the program. He hasn’t elevated the program to the levels that Rick Majerus had it in the 90’s, but he’s certainly made substantial progress. As the conference continues to shift and change, it’ll be interesting to see if Utah can continue to be a contender near the top of the league.

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