NCAA Basketball: Ranking the 10 best head coaching hires of 2022 offseason

1. Thad Matta (Butler)

Just over a decade ago, Butler was a Cinderella darling, completing back-to-back trips to the national title game as members of the Horizon League. Things have changed for the Bulldogs, who saw Brad Stevens wooed away by the Celtics and have churned through three more head coaches. The program is now in the Big East, and the last five years under LaVall Jordan didn’t exactly see this program in the spot they wanted to be in, finishing under .500 in three of the last four seasons.

Matta arrives ready to change that culture again. His head coaching career began here at his alma mater back in 2000 before eventual successful stints at Xavier and Ohio State. Matta led the Buckeyes to a pair of Final Fours and recruited some impressive talent, including recently-named Butler staffer Greg Oden. After a few seasons away from coaching for health reasons, Matta is healthier than he’s been and brings credibility back to Butler.

This program was not in a great position two months ago, limping to the finish of another rough season. Introducing Matta back to the fold is an impressive statement for the school. With Matta bringing in high levels of talent, combined his ability as an on-court coach, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Butler back competing in a deep and talented Big East in the coming seasons. Anytime a middling program can bring in someone of this caliber, you know that there’s going to be a ton of excitement, and Indianapolis should be buzzing for what’s to come.

We have completed our deep dive into the top ten head coaches hired this offseason. Do you agree with these names, or is there someone else from the coaching carousel who will stand out even more?