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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LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 08: Head coach Mike Montgomery of the Stanford Cardinal (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) /

5. Mike Montgomery – Stanford (2000-2004), California (2008-2014)

While the Pac-12 isn’t exactly the premiere basketball conference these days, it may be hard for some fans to imagine that Montgomery had Stanford as one of the best programs in the nation. After good things with Montana, Montgomery was hired by Stanford in 1986 and led them to an impressive era of dominance, including a trip to the Final Four in 1998.

As the century turned, the success continued for Stanford, who made NCAA Tournaments in each of his four seasons, including an Elite Eight in 2001. The Cardinal were 105-24 in those four years before Montgomery departed for the Golden State Warriors. In his return to college, he led California to four NCAA Tournaments before retiring in 2014.

Neither Stanford nor California has been the same since Montgomery’s departures from the two rival schools. Stanford has never sniffed that level of national success while the Golden Bears have become one of the worst power conference programs in recent years. He left behind immense success and especially an impressive legacy with the Cardinal. Stanford has only been part of one of the last 11 NCAA Tournaments, while Montgomery earned a 1-seed on three separate occasions.

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