Let’s see where Alabama basketball coach Avery Johnson ranks among SEC Coaches from Worst to Best in 2017.
The Alabama basketball season is not over but the 2016-17 regular season and SEC Tournament are behind us. This is a good time to rank all fourteen SEC Head Basketball Coaches on their performance this season.
The criteria used to rank the coaches were: Overall team record in 2016-17; SEC Conference record in 2016-17; Change in Overall team record from last season to this season; Qualifying for post-season tournament, NCAA-NIT; National Ranking; Record against Top 25 teams; Recruiting ranking for the 2017-18 season.
A brief disclaimer: the categories are not weighted in any formula; the conclusions carry no claim of objectivity.
Here is a list of the coaches, in order of tenure as head coaches.
- Rick Barnes – Tennessee – Barnes has been a head coach for 30 years at George Mason, Providence, Clemson, Texas, and Tennessee. He is in his second season at Tennessee. His overall coaching record is 635-349.
- John Calipari – Kentucky – Calipari has been a head coach for 25 years at U Mass, Memphis, and Kentucky. He is in his eighth season at Kentucky. His overall coaching record is 690-192
- Ben Howland – Mississippi State – Howland has been a head coach for 21 seasons at Northern Arizona, Pittsburgh, UCLA, and Mississippi State. He is in his second season for the Bulldogs. His overall coaching record is 429-241.
- Billy Kennedy – Texas A&M – Kennedy has been a head coach for 19 years at Centenary, Southwestern Louisiana, Murray State, and Texas A&M. He is in his sixth season with the Aggies. His overall coaching record is 326-264.
- Johnny Jones – LSU – Jones was recently fired by LSU. Jones has been a head coach for 17 years at Memphis, North Texas and LSU. He coached at LSU for five seasons. His overall coaching record is 295-234.
- Mike Anderson – Arkansas – Anderson has been a head coach for 15 years at UAB, Missouri, and Arkansas. He is in his sixth season for the Razorbacks. His overall coaching record is 327-170.
- Mark Fox – Georgia – Fox has been a head coach for 13 years at Nevada and Georgia. He is in his eighth season at Georgia. His overall coaching record is 268-160.
- Bruce Pearl – Auburn – Pearl has been a head coach for 13 years at Milwaukee, Tennessee, and Auburn. He is in his third season at Auburn. His overall coaching record is 275-153.
- Andy Kennedy – Ole Miss – Kennedy has been a head coach for 12 years at Cincinnati and Ole Miss. He is in his eleventh season at Ole Miss. His overall coaching record is 253-152.
- Frank Martin – South Carolina – Martin has been a head coach for 10 seasons at Kansas State and South Carolina. He is in his fifth season with the Gamecocks. His overall coaching record is 209-127.
- Bryce Drew – Vanderbilt – Drew has been a head coach for six seasons at Valparaiso and Vanderbilt. He is in his first season at Vanderbilt. His overall coaching record is 143-64.
- Michael White – Florida – White has been a head coach for six seasons at Louisiana Tech and Florida. He is in his second season at Florida. His overall coaching record is 146-63.
- Kim Anderson – Missouri – Anderson was recently fired by Missouri. Anderson has been a head coach for three seasons, all at Missouri. His overall coaching record is 27-68.
- Avery Johnson – Alabama – Johnson has been a head coach for 10 years. He was a NBA head coach for eight seasons at Dallas, New Jersey, and Brooklyn. He is in his second season at Alabama. His overall coaching record: NBA 254-186; College 37-29.