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

By Joey Loose | Jul 1, 2020

NASHVILLE, TN - MARCH 13: Head coach John Calipari (R) of the Kentucky Wildcats is congratulated by head coach Bruce Pearl of the Tennessee Volunteers after Kentucky won 74-45 during the semirfinals of the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament at the Bridgestone Arena on March 13, 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

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NEW ORLEANS – MARCH 14: Head Coach John Brady of Louisiana State Tigers (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /

6. John Brady – LSU (2000-2008)

When Brady arrived at LSU in 1997, there was still excitement surrounding the program. They were still a few years removed from Shaquille O’Neal’s presence with the school, though the last few seasons had been pretty rough for the Tigers. Brady came with just six years of head coaching experience at Samford, unable to lead the program to the NCAA Tournament. Fortunately, things went pretty smoothly for him at LSU.

Before the turn of the century, he led the Tigers to the Sweet Sixteen, but he’d surpass that success in due time. In those eight years, he took LSU back to the NCAA Tournament three times, with 2006 the obvious highlight. He took the Tigers to the Final Four as a 4-seed, including an upset win over top-seeded Duke. He also won a pair of SEC West titles and did impressive work getting this program back into consistent shape.

Unfortunately, that consistency wouldn’t last and he was fired less than two seasons later. He spent eight years trying to build something at Arkansas State. That 2006 team’s success hasn’t been matched since Brady’s dismissal, even as Will Wade starts to build something with the Tigers. Brady left behind more than just that banner in the rafters, and he’ll certainly be remembered in LSU history for decades to come.

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