NCAA Basketball: Ranking all 362 D-I head coaches for 2023-24 season

5. Scott Drew (Baylor) (Last year: 6)

• Overall record: 442-244
• Final Four in 2021
• National championship in 2021

Few would have expected that Drew would cut down the nets as a national champion when he left Valparaiso for Baylor way back in 2003. He had assisted father Homer for nearly a decade before taking the Crusaders to the NIT in his lone season as head coach. The Bears beckoned him to revitalize a program completely broken by scandal and Drew went above all expectations. He head Baylor in the Elite Eight twice in the first decade and clearly cemented his status with their national championship back in 2021. Baylor recently won a pair of Big 12 titles and have been in the last four NCAA Tournaments.

4. Mark Few (Gonzaga) (Last year: 3)

• Overall record: 689-135
• Final Four in 2017, 2021

It’s hard to believe but Few really has spent his entire collegiate coaching career at Gonzaga. He arrived as a graduate assistant in 1989 and ascended to the head coaching job in 1999. Since then, the Bulldogs have advanced far beyond the Cinderella label they were given in the late 90’s. Not only have his Bulldogs dominated the WCC, winning 22 of 24 regular season titles, but they’ve also made the NCAA Tournament in every single season. Few made national title games in 2017 and 2021, has led Gonzaga to at least the Sweet Sixteen for eight straight Tourneys, and had a sweet Elite Eight run last year.

3. Tom Izzo (Michigan State) (Last year: 4)

• Overall record: 687-280
• Final Four in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2019
• National championship in 2000

After briefly coaching at a few other places, Izzo has been at Michigan State for the last forty years. He assisted Jud Heathcote for over a decade before being promoted to head coach back in 1995. During a Hall of Fame career he’s led the Spartans to the national championship in 2000 and eight trips to the Final Four. Michigan State has appeared in each of the last 25 NCAA Tournaments and is a constant force in the Big Ten, even if they finished just 4th this past season; though a Sweet Sixteen run did result.

2. John Calipari (Kentucky) (Last year: 2)

• Overall record: 832-253
• Final Four in 1996*, 2008*, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015
• National championship in 2012

Known as an elite recruiter, Calipari has had success everywhere he’s gone, except maybe his stint with the New Jersey Nets. He led both Massachusetts and Memphis to Final Four runs that were later vacated before he was hired by Kentucky back in 2009. In his first six years he led the Wildcats to a national championship (2012) and four trips to the Final Four. Success has been sparser in recent years, especially as the SEC has gotten stronger, but Kentucky still won 22 games and won an NCAA Tournament game this year.

1. Bill Self (Kansas) (Last year: 1)

• Overall record: 787-237
• Final Four in 2008, 2012, 2018, 2022
• National championships in 2008, 2022

An incredibly successful college coach, Self still sits atop the list after continued success with the Jayhawks. He got his start with solid work at Oral Roberts before leading both Tulsa and Illinois to Elite Eight runs. He took over at Kansas in 2003 and has never missed the Big Dance, winning national championships in 2008 and 2002. What’s followed has been a slew of Big 12 titles, winning 17 regular season titles and 9 tournaments. While his Jayhawks were upended in the second round last year, he’s constantly building championship-level teams in Lawrence.