Conventional thinking is it's risky to ask a college coach to succeed in the NBA. But the history of such moves offers mixed results.
Mike Peticca and Branson Wright
Plain Dealer Reporters
Bill Fitch had a difficult initiation to the NBA when he moved from the University of Minnesota to the Cavaliers for their debut season in 1970-71. But Fitch was eventually a championship coach with the Celtics.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In recent years, several coaches who guided successful college programs have been hired as NBA head coaches without any prior experience as a player, coach or executive.
Conventional thinking is it's risky to ask a coach to translate success from the one level to the sport's highest level. It's said that college coaches can't cut it right away in the NBA, where the challenges, the players and the game are all much different.
The transition is a concern some observers have about the possibility of the Cavaliers hiring famed Michigan State coach Tom Izzo.
A look, though, at a history of coaches moving directly from a college bench to one in the NBA reveals that most went into losing situations and, not surprisingly, had mixed results.
Dick Motta: Prior college job: Weber State, six seasons. First NBA job: Coached the 1968-69 Chicago Bulls to a 33-49 record after the 67-68 team was 29-53. Led the Bulls to the Western Conference Finals in 1974 and 1975 and the Washington Bullets to the 1978 title and 1979 Eastern Conference Finals.
Bill Fitch: Prior college job: Minnesota, two seasons. First NBA job: Coached the 1970-71 Cavaliers to a 15-67 record in the franchise's first season. Led the Cavs to the 1976 East Finals; the Boston Celtics to the 1981 championship; the Houston Rockets to the 1986 Finals.
Cotton Fitzsimmons: Prior college job: Kansas State, two seasons. First NBA job: Coached the 1970-71 Phoenix Suns to a 48-34 record after the 69-70 team was 39-43. Coached three teams to the West Finals: the Kansas City Kings in 1981 and, in his second stint with Phoenix, the Suns in 1989 and 1990.
Roy Rubin: Prior college job: Long Island University, two years. First NBA job: Coached the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers to a 4-47 record before being fired. The 76ers went 5-26 the rest of the way to finish an all-time NBA-worst 9-73. The team had been 30-52 in 1971-72, and all-star forward Billy Cunningham left to sign with the American Basketball Association's Carolina Cougars one day before Rubin was hired.
John MacLeod: Prior college job: Oklahoma, six years. First NBA job: Coached the 1973-74 Suns to a 30-52 record after the 72-73 team was 38-44. Eight games into the 73-74 season, Phoenix traded all-star forward Connie Hawkins to the Los Angeles Lakers for role player Keith Erickson and a draft pick. Led the Suns to the 1976 Finals, to the 1979 and 1984 West Finals, and the Dallas Mavericks to the 1988 West Finals.
Jerry Tarkanian: Prior college job: UNLV, 19 years. First NBA job: Coached the 1992-93 San Antonio Spurs to a 9-11 record before being fired. The Spurs finished 49-33 after going 47-35 in the 91-92 season. Despite having won the 1990 national title, Tarkanian was forced to resign by UNLV in 1992 because of his program's problems with the NCAA.
P.J. Carlesimo: Prior college job: Seton Hall, 12 years. First NBA job: Coached the 1994-95 Portland Trailblazers to a 44-38 record after the 93-94 team was 47-35. Had a solid season despite the mid-season trade of all-star forward-guard Clyde Drexler.
John Calipari: Prior college job: Massachusetts, eight years. First NBA job: Coached the 1996-97 New Jersey Nets to a 26-56 record after the 95-96 team was 30-52. Inherited poorly-conceived roster. His second Nets team was 43-39 before he was fired early in his third season.
Tim Floyd: Prior college job: Iowa State, four years. First NBA job: Coached the Bulls to a 13-37 record in the 1998-99 lockout season after the 97-98 team went 62-20 and won the NBA title. Phil Jackson's last Bulls team had Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman. Floyd's first Bulls team did not.
Lon Kruger: Prior college job: Illinois, four years. First NBA job: Coached the 2000-01 Atlanta Hawks to a 25-57 record after the 1999-2000 team was 28-54. Who could blame him, after Hall of Fame coach (and player) Lenny Wilkens and the Hawks stumbled in 99-00?
Leonard Hamilton: Prior college job: Miami (Fla.), 10 years. First NBA job: Coached the 2000-01 Washington Wizards to a 19-63 record after the 1999-2000 team was 29-53. Age, injuries and questionable trades led to predictable result.
Mike Montgomery: Prior college job: Stanford, 18 years. First NBA job: Coached the 2004-05 Golden State Warriors to a 34-48 record after the 03-04 team was 37-45. Warriors had a zero-defense mindset before, during and after 04-05.
Note: Rick Pitino, contrary to some reports, was an NBA assistant (New York Knicks, 1983-85) before becoming the Knicks' head coach in 1987 after two seasons at Providence.