The college basketball world was stunned Monday with the news that Dusty May is leaving Michigan after leading the Wolverines to the national championship this past season. May is heading to the NBA as he is set to become the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks.
While it is not rare to see college coaches mentioned as candidates for NBA jobs, it does not happen often; the last time a coach went straight from college to the NBA was in 2019. With that in mind, let's take a look at some notable coaches who made the jump from college basketball to the NBA.
John Beilein (2019)
The last coach to do it was, interestingly, another Michigan Wolverine in John Beilein. After leading the Wolverines to eight NCAA Tournament appearances in the nine prior seasons, including two national championship game appearances during that time, Beilein left Ann Arbor in 2019 to become head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers. His time in Cleveland was short and unsuccessful. Beilein didn’t even make it through a full season in the NBA, resigning after 54 games due to struggles to adjust to the differences of coaching at the professional level.
Billy Donovan (2015)
One of the most successful college basketball coaches of all time, Billy Donovan built Florida into a college basketball powerhouse during his tenure with the Gators, highlighted by back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007. He initially left Florida after the 2007 season and agreed to become head coach of the Orlando Magic, but changed his mind and returned to Gainesville. Then, after 19 seasons leading the Gators program, Donovan officially made the jump to the NBA, becoming head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2015.
He spent five seasons in OKC before parting ways with the franchise, then was hired by the Chicago Bulls in 2020. He spent the next six seasons in Chicago before the two sides agreed to part ways in April of this year. Donovan is one of the few college coaches who has had both success and longevity in the NBA after making the jump. However, with him now back on the market, his name has recently been thrown around for a potential return to college basketball.
Fred Hoiberg (2015)
Fred Hoiberg left college basketball for the NBA after a very successful stint at Iowa State, leaving to become the head coach of the Chicago Bulls. The former 10-year NBA player's time in the league as a coach was brief and largely disappointing. He was fired during his fourth year as the team was coming off a 27-55 season and got off to a 5-19 start in 2018. Hoiberg returned to college hoops at Nebraska, where he has been since, and has done a great job turning the Cornhuskers program around, highlighted by the school's first-ever NCAA Tournament victory this past season.
Brad Stevens (2013)
Brad Stevens used his rapid rise at Butler to establish himself as one of the greatest minds and best coaches in the sport. He was heavily pursued by larger college programs, but instead chose to leave college basketball for the NBA and take the head coaching job with the Boston Celtics. Stevens spent eight seasons as head coach of the Celtics and was overall successful, but struggled to get over the hump in the postseason. In 2021, he stepped down from his coaching position but remained with the organization as President of Basketball Operations/General Manager and has been extremely successful at that. While his name is still mentioned whenever a major college coaching job opens, Stevens seems to be more than happy in his current role in the NBA.
John Calipari (1996)
Everyone knows Coach Cal for his accomplishments at the college level, but the notorious producer of NBA talent also had a brief stint in the association during the late 90s. After turning UMass into a national powerhouse and issues with the NCAA looming, Calipari left to become the head coach of the New Jersey Nets. Calipari’s time in the NBA was short-lived as he was fired following a 3-17 start to his third year. He spent the following season as an assistant coach with the 76ers before returning to the college game at Memphis.
Rick Pitino (1987 & 1997)
Now the head man at St. John's, Rick Pitino, also spent time in New York as the head coach of the Knicks from 1987-89. He led the Knicks to a 52-30 record and a playoff series victory in his second season, but resigned at the end of the year to return to the college level as the head coach at Kentucky. After an eight-year stint with the Wildcats, Pitino made the jump back to the NBA, joining the Boston Celtics. Things did not go well in Boston, and he ultimately resigned after his fourth season and returned to college with Louisville.
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