Ranking the Top 10 First-Year Head Coaches in College Basketball

1. Michael Malone – North Carolina

There are two things going in favor of the Tar Heels’ new head coach. One, Malone is a former NBA champion, and that should do him wonders on the recruiting trail. Two, and most importantly, Malone is joining a blue-blood program. The current roster features two elite guards in 6-foot-3 senior guard Terrence Brown (19.9 points per game) and Neoklis Avdalas, a 6-foot-9 sophomore guard and breakout candidate to watch. Malone should be competitive out of the gate and potentially field a top-4 team in the ACC.

2. Bryan Hodgson – Providence

After winning the American at South Florida, Hodgson comes to the Big East with a ready-to-win roster. Six-foot-1 senior guard Malik Mack (13.6 points per game) is a proven Big East guard, while Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and 6-foot-7 senior wing Miles Byrd will improve a Providence roster that ranked at the bottom in most categories on that end. Considering how weak the bottom two-thirds of the conference was last year, it’s an opportunity for Hodgson and the Friars to make an immediate move.

3. Jerrod Calhoun – Cincinnati

Calhoun is a proven winner and, by all accounts, had a successful transfer portal haul of 12 newcomers. The headliners are 6-foot-3 senior guard Tylen Riley (15 points per game at Tulsa) and Tyler Tejada, a former CAA Player of the Year winner and 6-foot-8 senior forward who averaged 17.7 points per game last season. While Cincy isn’t ready to take on the contenders such as Houston and Arizona, they’re more than capable of being in the top half and in a position to make the Big Dance.

4. Alan Huss – Creighton

The former High Point head coach takes over for Greg McDermott and welcomes three returning starters. Creighton was fine on the wings, but the backcourt and frontcourt were the areas in need of overhaul. Six-foot-10 junior center Oswin Erhunmwunse was third in the Big East in blocks (2.1 per game) and should provide a big interior boost. Plus, 6-foot-2 senior guard Wes Enis, who led South Florida (16.4 points per game) in scoring, is set to be the lead guard for the Bluejays. While Huss isn’t a proven high-major coach, Creighton is well equipped to bounce back into Big East contention.

5. Chris Mack – South Florida

Mack, a past winner at Xavier, Louisville and Charleston, looks to make it back to back titles in the American. He has a completely new roster featuring 11 new transfers. A number of them are double-digit scorers, including 6-foot-1 senior guard Sonny Wilson (17 points per game at Toledo) and AJ Dancler, a 6-foot-2 senior guard who averaged over 15 points per game at Coastal Carolina. With Memphis taking a step back, the American is as winnable as ever, even for a brand new South Florida roster.

6. Justin Gainey – NC State

Will Wade put the Wolfpack back into the postseason mix. Can Gainey keep them there? He was able to retain 6-foot-5 junior guard Paul McNeil Jr., who averaged 13.8 points per game last year. NC State added three other double-digit scoring guards, while 6-foot-10 senior big man and Big West Defensive Player of the Year Kyle Evans (12.1 points and 8.7 rebounds per game) anchors the interior. Outside the top tier, the ACC is fairly winnable, giving Gainey and the Wolfpack a solid shot at 20-plus wins.

7. Will Wade – LSU

Wade has made the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three years at both McNeese State and NC State. However, taking a team that finished last in the SEC and waiting a month into the offseason to land players makes it hard to envision the Tigers having an immediate impact on the standings. But Wade did land several international players with potential, and if 6-foot-7 senior guard and former Big East Player of the Year RJ Luis gets a waiver to play, Wade and LSU will have postseason expectations.

8. Luke Murray – Boston College

One of the most notable coaching hires of the offseason was BC hiring Murray after winning two national titles as an assistant at UConn. The Eagles have a case of being the worst high-major program in the last decade, so it’s going to be a tough hill to climb. However, the roster has potential, led by 6-foot-4 senior guard Money Williams (20.6 points per game at Montana), and Brandon Benjamin, a 6-foot-8 sophomore forward who averaged a double-double at Fairfield. While an NCAA Tournament appearance could be too lofty a goal for Murray in Year 1, this should be the program’s most competitive roster in a while.

9. Randy Bennett – Arizona State

Bennett was one of the most successful coaches in all of basketball back at Saint Mary’s, but he’ll be dealing with more than Gonzaga in terms of top competition in the Big 12. Luckily, he brought 6-foot-8 senior forward Paulius Murauskas (18.4 points per game) with him from the Gaels, while 6-foot-1 sophomore guard Joel Foxwell (15.6 points and 6.5 assists per game) was one of the top ball-handlers in the portal. While most of the transfers come from the SEC, Bennett should be able to coach them into being a thorn in the sides of most Big 12 opponents.

10. Wes Miller – Charlotte

The Cincinnati era didn’t end well for Miller, and he’s the only fired coach to make this list. However, he’s set up nicely to make an immediate impact in the American, with multiple Bearcats joining him via the transfer portal. The biggest name is Jizzle James, a 6-foot-1 senior guard who averaged 10.9 points per game last season and will be a contender for the conference’s Player of the Year award. The 49ers are uniquely set up to be more than just a darkhorse next season.