With just a month to go in men’s college basketball’s regular season, it’s a good time to take stock of the national coach of the year race. There are plenty of strong contenders, from coaches who’ve pulled off near-miraculous rebuilds to others who’ve impressively built and retained elite teams. It’s a difficult award to give out, partially because it is judged differently by different people. The Sports Illustrated qualifications are less about exceeding preseason expectations or “doing more with less” but instead about managing all facets of the program at an elite level, from recruiting and roster management to in-game coaching decisions. Here’s a look at our top 10, plus a few top names who just missed the cut.
