Paul Mills
- HC experience: Oral Roberts (2017-present; 57-65)
- Assistant experience: Baylor (2003-17)
Few coaches have elevated their name to national stardom this season quite like Paul Mills, but the Oral Roberts head coach has cemented himself in elite company, courtesy of the NCAA Tournament.
Another Scott Drew disciple, Mills was as important to Baylor’s rise to redemption as anyone, having joined in Drew’s first season and remaining by his side for a whopping 17 seasons. In that time, the Bears – rebounding from a scandal that left the program for dead – endured four losing seasons before becoming a Big 12 and NCAA titan. In all, Mills was a part of seven NCAA Tournament appearances, an NIT Championship, and a runner-up finish in the NIT.
Like McCasland, Mills subsequently took over an Oral Roberts program that had just finished 8-22 with a last-place finish in the Summit League and had just fired Scott Sutton, the program’s all-time winningest coach. The first two seasons saw gradual improvements with losing records, with 11-win totals in both years – but a top-four finish and a 17-14 record in Mills’ third campaign provided some optimism for the program.
That optimism has paid off, with Mills – paired with forward Kevin Obanor and guard Max Abmas, two legitimate pro talents – leading the Golden Eagles to their first Summit League title and NCAA Tournament appearance since 2008. The success has not ended since, with Oral Roberts becoming the second team to ever reach the Sweet 16 as a 15-seed after back-to-back victories over Ohio State and Florida.
With a duel against Arkansas on tap in the NCAA Tournament, the Golden Eagles have become the mid-major Cinderella, largely courtesy of an up-and-down style of play that, per KenPom, ranks in the top 50 in the nation in adjusted tempo – and, in lieu, allows Oral Roberts to sit first in Div. I in three-pointers made (11.3), sixth in attempts (29.2), and 12th in points per game (81.5).
What makes Mills a particularly enticing candidate is the potential for him to bring along former Texas assistant Russell Springman, who spent 17 years with Rick Barnes and was largely responsible for the recruitment of 14 McDonald’s All-Americans, including National Player of the Year recipients T.J. Ford and Kevin Durant. In addition to his ties to the Big 12 through his time at Baylor, there should be no question that Mills should be towards the top of Texas’ list.