It’s hard to believe, but the 2025-26 season marks Jim Les’s 15th year as the head coach of UC Davis basketball. Now 62 years old, Les remains one of college basketball’s most respected veterans, still chasing a return to the NCAA Tournament. His last trip came in the 2016-17 season, when the Aggies made their first-ever appearance in the Big Dance.
Before taking the reins at UC Davis, Les carved out a career defined by perseverance and leadership. Born in Niles, Illinois, he played college basketball at Cleveland State before transferring to Bradley, where he became one of the nation’s best pure point guards. His court vision and work ethic helped him get drafted 70th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 1986 NBA Draft. He went on to play with several teams during an eight-year professional career, finishing his playing days in 1994.
Jim Les' Journey
Les’s coaching journey began soon after, starting as an assistant with the Omaha Racers before joining the WNBA’s Sacramento Monarchs. In 2002, he returned to his alma mater to lead Bradley University, where he compiled a 154-140 record and made his mark with one of the most memorable tournament runs in program history.
That came during the 2005-06 season when Les guided the Braves to the Sweet 16 as a 13-seed. Bradley upset Kansas in the first round and followed with a win over Pittsburgh before falling to top-seeded Memphis in the regional semifinals in Oakland. It remains one of the most celebrated seasons in Bradley basketball history.
Les on the Hilltop
Les spent nine seasons at Bradley before being dismissed in 2011, finishing with a 12-20 record that year. Shortly after, he landed at UC Davis, inheriting a program that needed a full rebuild. His first few seasons were challenging, including a 5-26 debut campaign, but by 2014-15, the Aggies had broken through with 25 wins and their first Big West Conference regular-season title.
In 2016-17, Les delivered UC Davis’s first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, winning the Big West Tournament and earning a spot in the First Four in Dayton. The Aggies defeated North Carolina Central before facing top-seeded Kansas, who ended their run with a 100-62 win. Despite that loss, it marked a historic milestone for both Les and the program.
Since that magical run, UC Davis has remained competitive, adding another Big West regular-season title in 2017-18. Overall, Les holds a 210-216 record with the Aggies and 364-356 in his head coaching career.
The Aggies finished 15-17 last season, going 9-11 in conference play, and now look to take a step forward in 2025-26. UC Davis opens the new season at home against Menlo College at the University Credit Union Center, followed by a matchup with North Dakota State two days later. Their first road test comes on November 9 at Portland, followed by challenging trips to Nevada and Colorado before Thanksgiving. The Aggies will also travel to Hawaii and Oregon in December, giving them an early-season schedule packed with opportunity and adversity.
Looking For Another Run
Jim Les has built a reputation as a teacher of the game, emphasizing fundamentals, toughness, and discipline. Entering his 15th season, he continues to chase that elusive next chapter of tournament success, still driven by the same competitive fire that fueled him as a player decades ago.