Chris Mack
Things change significantly overtime, but Hamilton was hired back in 2022 as a longtime former collegiate head coach who had failed in the NBA but had great potential. As a result, there are a number of rising or potential-filled head coaches in college ball that we’ll be considering and Mack is certainly high up on that list. He’s someone who failed at a previous job, much like Hamilton, but could become quite the key piece in Tallahassee.
Mack played at Evansville and Xavier in the 90’s before beginning his coaching career at the high school level. He aided the late Skip Prosser at Xavier and Wake Forest and later began his head coaching journey there at Xavier in 2009. Across nine seasons, Mack would take the Musketeers to an Elite Eight and four Sweet Sixteen’s before taking a chance at Louisville, though his four years with the Cardinals did not work out. After sitting out for two years, Mack has bounced back at the College of Charleston, who hired him this past offseason.
Mack has a unique balance of potential as a former ACC head coach and someone who’s been successful in the collegiate ranks. There’s a question on the fit, especially after flailing with the Cardinals in the same conference, not to mention if he’d want to leave after just one season in Charleston, where’s he currently sits 17-5. As long as Charleston keeps winning, Mack is a name that’ll be mentioned for these kinds of jobs, though it all comes down to personal fit on both sides.