{"id":691820,"date":"2026-04-01T12:21:28","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T12:21:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/691820\/"},"modified":"2026-04-01T12:21:28","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T12:21:28","slug":"whats-the-best-job-in-mens-college-basketball-coaches-say-its-duke-then-the-field","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/691820\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s the best job in men\u2019s college basketball? Coaches say it\u2019s Duke \u2014 then the field"},"content":{"rendered":"

What\u2019s the best job in college basketball?<\/p>\n

That discussion got turbo-charged last week when North Carolina moved on from Hubert Davis<\/a> and began an open search to fill one of the premier jobs in the country. The news also jump-started a conversation between The Athletic and dozens of college coaches across the country. We surveyed 51 coaches, both head and assistant, asking them to rank their top five jobs in men\u2019s basketball \u2014 preferably after setting aside their personal ties.<\/p>\n

The Athletic last conducted this poll five years ago, in 2021, and the results were starkly different. Then, consensus was that Kentucky was the best job in the business<\/a>, and it wasn\u2019t particularly close.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s still a huge gap between No. 1 and 2 \u2014 but now it\u2019s Duke ascending to the top spot. Three other blue bloods are bunched together behind them, well ahead of the rest of the field.\u00a0To most working in college basketball, there\u2019s a clear top tier of jobs, and the order might just be a matter of personal preference. There\u2019s also something to be said for the ever-evolving landscape of college sports.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe gap between traditional powers and some other programs has gotten smaller because of NIL and the portal,\u201d said one mid-major coach. \u201cFor a long time, big fan bases were the superpower, but now those expectations can be a disadvantage. Fans don\u2019t understand why a player would go to Auburn over Kentucky, Miami over North Carolina, Texas Tech over Kansas \u2014 but it happens all the time now. If you have the right NIL, you can get elite talent without the same level of pressure as the blue bloods.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many coaches surveyed said something along the lines of, \u201cWhoever has the most money with NIL and rev-share \u2014 and it\u2019s not me,\u201d with the acknowledgement that those numbers likely will never all be known publicly. Still, we can assume all of the jobs listed below have significant financial support, which is what put them on this list in the first place.<\/p>\n

1. Duke<\/p>\n

Points: 233
Total votes: 51
First-place votes: 37<\/p>\n

The Blue Devils have been to 40 of the last 42 NCAA Tournaments and won five national titles during that run, and thus, \u201cIn this generation, there\u2019s nobody, no kid or his parent, that remembers Duke being bad,\u201d one high-major assistant said. \u201cAnd so Duke is historical to this generation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Duke is the brand, and has all of the resources to win in this era.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a different beast,\u201d another high-major assistant said. \u201cOrganic NIL. Success with one-and-dones. Young head coach.\u201d<\/p>\n

In just the last 10 years, Duke has had 13 lottery picks, a list that includes some of the NBA\u2019s biggest stars (Jayson Tatum, Zion Williamson, Paolo Banchero and Cooper Flagg). While Jon Scheyer has yet to win a title, he has won 70 games the last two seasons and seems to win just about every recruiting battle.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are no holes whatsoever at Duke,\u201d a high-major head coach said. \u201cFrom every angle, they have an argument they\u2019re the best option.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. (tie) North Carolina<\/p>\n

Points: 143
Total votes: 48
First-place votes: 5<\/p>\n

The mystique and aura surrounding Michael Jordan\u2019s alma mater hasn\u2019t faded a bit, as one of the most decorated programs in college hoops sits in the heart of college basketball country surrounded by some of the nation\u2019s top young talent. Multiple coaches said being able to hop in a car and drive to recruit is a huge plus.<\/p>\n

One mid-major head coach referred to the Jordan brand and UNC\u2019s rivalry with Duke as \u201ciconic,\u201d while a veteran high-major coach gushed about how \u201cCarolina has everything\u201d from fans to climate to facilities to resources. History is huge, too: UNC has been to 21 Final Fours, more than any other program, winning three titles in the last 25 years (2005, 2009 and 2017).<\/p>\n

One of the most compelling arguments for why UNC ranked so high came from a mid-major head coach who pointed out that while Hall of Famer Roy Williams experienced tremendous success at both Kansas and UNC, he won three titles at UNC but couldn\u2019t win any at KU (his Jayhawks finished runner-up twice during his stint in Lawrence).<\/p>\n

2. (tie) Kentucky<\/p>\n

Points: 143
Total votes: 46
First-place votes: 3<\/p>\n

Is it the best job in America, or the most pressure-packed? Maybe both. The school with the second-most national championships (eight, behind UCLA\u2019s 11) hasn\u2019t won one since 2012, but the Wildcats have the resources to be in Final Four contention every year \u2014 hence Mark Pope reportedly paying $22 million for his (underachieving) roster<\/a> this season. Still, there are few better environments in college hoops than a packed Rupp Arena, and most coaches would love to take their shot at leading the home team.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the right guy and right resources, it\u2019s limitless what they can do,\u201d one high-major assistant said.<\/p>\n

Others mentioned that the \u201cright guy\u201d is nearly impossible to find, though. \u201cThat fan base is just ridiculous,\u201d said a longtime high-major head coach. Coaches acknowledged Lexington is a unique place in need of a unique personality and because of that, might not be the right fit for everyone.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n The historic Allen Fieldhouse is one separator for Kansas, which has arguably the best home-court advantage in the country. (Ed Zurga \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

4. Kansas<\/p>\n

Points: 142
Total votes: 46
First-place votes: 5<\/p>\n

\u201cTo Bill Self\u2019s quote, there\u2019s no place like Kansas,\u201d a high-major assistant said. \u201cIt\u2019s just different. Outside of UCLA and Coach K, it\u2019s the birthplace of everybody else\u2019s programs. (Adolph) Rupp and Dean Smith. It\u2019s like the source, and it\u2019s still really good, and just different.\u201d<\/p>\n

Allen Fieldhouse. Opened in 1955 and full of history, it is arguably the greatest basketball venue in the world. Whenever anyone talks about the Kansas job, it\u2019s always mentioned.<\/p>\n

\u201cKansas is the best job because it plays in the greatest facility in basketball,\u201d one mid-major coach said. \u201cSteeped in tradition. Phog Allen Fieldhouse is a must-see, must-visit place. If you are a basketball traditionalist, there is no better place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve coached at Kentucky. I\u2019ve coached at Pauley Pavilion. I\u2019ve coached at Duke. There\u2019s a difference,\u201d one high-major head coach said. \u201cWalking in the Phog Allen Fieldhouse, it\u2019s just different, especially if they respect you. If you\u2019re not very good, you\u2019re gonna get killed anyway, but it\u2019s not as overwhelming.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Jayhawks have made 36 straight NCAA Tournaments \u2014 the longest streak in the sport \u2014 and have been the most consistent winner in the last four decades. In this new era, they still have the financial commitment to win big and the best home-court advantage in the sport is the cherry on top.<\/p>\n

5. UConn<\/p>\n

Points: 33
Total votes: 21<\/p>\n

Five years after it didn\u2019t receive a vote in our last poll, UConn has busted down the door into the blue blood category in college hoops. While the Huskies haven\u2019t won the most consistently, no program has performed better in March and April in the modern era. The Huskies won their first national title in 1999 and now have six titles with a chance at a seventh this weekend. No other program has won more than three since UConn won its first. It speaks volumes that Dan Hurley turned down the Los Angeles Lakers to remain the coach at UConn.<\/p>\n

Hurley\u2019s program has clearly become the best of the Northeast, and one advantage is its football program isn\u2019t in a power conference, meaning more resources go to hoops. Some coaches mentioned location as the only downside \u2014 Storrs, Conn., is a small town with not a lot close by \u2014 but you could argue the lack of distractions works in UConn\u2019s favor. Basketball is life there.<\/p>\n

6. Arizona<\/p>\n

Points: 28
Total votes: 18<\/p>\n

\u201cTo an entire geographical region,\u201d said one high-major assistant, \u201cthey are the school out West.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s true. The Wildcats, who are back in the Final Four after a 25-year drought, boast tradition, location and maybe, most importantly, weather. The sun shines 365 days a year in Tucson, a major selling point to high school and transfer portal recruits (consider that while other teams huddled inside to avoid freezing temperatures, Arizona had its Selection Sunday watch party outside beneath palm trees).<\/p>\n

UA was the last West Coast team to win a national title (1997), though other Western schools have been to the Final Four in the last two decades. To one high-major assistant, that\u2019s actually part of the appeal. \u201cThey\u2019re a blue blood, but without the pressure of one,\u201d he said. The Wildcats boast one of the most passionate fan bases in college hoops and they regularly pack the McKale Center, which probably could use a facelift. The positive, facilities-wise, is that UA has a gorgeous practice facility that\u2019s a quick, sunny walk just across the street.<\/p>\n

7. Michigan<\/p>\n

Points: 12
Total votes: 8<\/p>\n

The last time we did this exercise, Michigan ranked 13th. Recent success has obviously influenced the voters. Having one of the best rosters in college basketball, which is not cheap, hints that Michigan is well-resourced, and that\u2019s what matters as much as anything in this era. Michigan appeared as high as third on one ballot.<\/p>\n

The Wolverines have lured an elite coach in Dusty May, and even though football is king in Ann Arbor, they have a passionate fan base and history of success. If they can win their second national title in the next week, it wouldn\u2019t be surprising if they moved a couple of spots higher if we conduct the same exercise a year from now.<\/p>\n

8. (tie) Florida<\/p>\n

Points: 8
Total votes: 4<\/p>\n

That Florida is on this list is proof of recency bias, considering the Gators didn\u2019t get a single vote in 2021. Todd Golden winning a national championship in his third year, after never finishing in the top three in the West Coast Conference when he was head coach at San Francisco, speaks to the NIL support Florida has \u2014 even at a school where football will always come first. One mid-major head coach said he could see an argument for schools like UF, in states like Florida, which doesn\u2019t have income tax, being at an advantage the longer NIL is around because \u201ctheir dollars go further.\u201d<\/p>\n

8. (tie) Texas<\/p>\n

Points: 8
Total votes: 4
First-place votes: 1<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d think about Texas over Kentucky,\u201d a veteran high-major coach said. \u201cI mean, that guy (Mark Pope) is under the gun already with those fans. And Texas has all the money. But Texas is just like Michigan, basketball\u2019s never gonna be better than fifth there, because football is one, two, three and four.\u201d<\/p>\n

Is that such a bad thing? Some coaches will tell you no. They want fans who care, but maybe not too much. What\u2019s important is a big salary pool for the roster, and Texas might be No. 1 in college athletics when it comes to resources. The Longhorns also have a recently opened state-of-the-art arena that is as cool as any in the sport \u2014 it also doubles as a concert venue, and Matthew McConaughey helped design it. Sean Miller had a good job at Xavier, but he was lured to Texas because that job is a great one. Do not be surprised if Miller gets Texas back to being one of the most consistent winners in the sport.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n The history at UCLA \u2014 seen outside of Pauley Pavilion with John Wooden\u2019s statue \u2014 is one reason the Bruins are still considered a top-10 job after a 31-year title drought. (Luke Hales \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

10. UCLA<\/p>\n

Points: 5
Total votes: 2<\/p>\n

In some ways, it feels like this program is on the list mostly out of tradition, given that the Bruins have 11 national championships and 18 Final Four appearances. UCLA is known as one of the biggest brands in college basketball, even if it hasn\u2019t won a title since 1995. The weather in Los Angeles is a huge draw, though all the pro teams \u2014 and other forms of entertainment\/distraction \u2014 can be tough from a fan-support standpoint if you\u2019re not putting a great product on the floor. That the Bruins now have to regularly fly across the country for conference games is a downer, too.<\/p>\n

Others receiving at least one vote: Michigan State, Indiana, Purdue, Arkansas, Illinois, Texas Tech<\/p>\n

\u2014 Brendan Marks, Joe Rexrode and Justin Williams contributed to this report.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"What\u2019s the best job in college basketball? That discussion got turbo-charged last week when North Carolina moved on…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":691821,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3723],"tags":[1982,598,7,217,6133,691,950,7367,6523,3730,3075,354,3491,1043,231,772,1544,1770,12513,2398,1640,4262],"class_list":{"0":"post-691820","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ncaa-basketball","8":"tag-arizona-wildcats","9":"tag-arkansas-razorbacks","10":"tag-basketball","11":"tag-college-basketball","12":"tag-connecticut-huskies","13":"tag-duke-blue-devils","14":"tag-florida-gators","15":"tag-illinois-fighting-illini","16":"tag-indiana-hoosiers","17":"tag-kansas-jayhawks","18":"tag-kentucky-wildcats","19":"tag-mens-college-basketball","20":"tag-michigan-state-spartans","21":"tag-michigan-wolverines","22":"tag-ncaa","23":"tag-ncaa-basketball","24":"tag-ncaab","25":"tag-north-carolina-tar-heels","26":"tag-purdue-boilermakers","27":"tag-texas-longhorns","28":"tag-texas-tech-red-raiders","29":"tag-ucla-bruins"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/116329428462267138","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/691820","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=691820"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/691820\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/691821"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=691820"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=691820"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=691820"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}