It's time for ESPN's annual preseason coaching hot seat primer, and one trend stands out: coaches have a shorter runway than ever. Revenue sharing and NIL have dramatically increased the talent in college basketball, but they have also dramatically reduced patience with coaches. The emphasis on the transfer portal means expectations of quick success, with donors demanding a return on bigger investments in wins and NCAA tournament appearances.
Last year's cycle made the point. Providence ousted Kim English after three years, while Syracuse did the same with alum Adrian Autry. Damon Stoudamire lasted the same amount of time at Georgia Tech. North Carolina parted ways with Hubert Davis just two years after he guided the Tar Heels to a 1-seed and an ACC championship. Jerome Tang led Kansas State to the Elite Eight in his first season in 2023, yet was let go in February of last season. In today's climate, a coach is only one bad year away from feeling the heat.
Retirements have also become more common. Dana Altman announced his decision less than a month before the season tips off, while Bruce Pearl retired less than two months before last season began. Tony Bennett stepped down weeks ahead of the 2024-25 campaign. Greg McDermott, Jim Larrañaga, Leonard Hamilton, Thad Matta and Mark Schmidt also retired in the past two seasons.
There is also the NBA route. Dusty May may have restarted the trend this offseason when he went from Michigan to the Dallas Mavericks. He is part of a generation of coaches seen as ready for the jump, including Duke's Jon Scheyer, Alabama's Nate Oats, Florida's Todd Golden and Arizona's Tommy Lloyd. Last year's carousel led to 54 coaching changes, and between the hot seat, potential retirements and NBA opportunities, this season will undoubtedly bring movement.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing