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ESPN.com takes a look at the active coaches who are closing in on 800 career wins and some of those who could reach the milestone if they remain on the sidelines.
Win totals and records through Feb. 4:
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700 & Counting ...
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Lou Henson, New Mexico State
Age: 70 Career Wins: 755 (39 Years) | Last 10 Seasons: 186-120
5-Year Average: 19 wins | Get to 800: 23 wins over 2 years
Will Reach 800 Wins Because ... He's not about to slow down. Sure, he could retire at the end of the season but can you see Lou Henson allowing nemesis Bob Knight to get into a club he cannot enter? No way.
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Eddie Sutton, Oklahoma State
Age: 66 Career Wins: 719 (32 Years) | Last 10 Seasons: 220-98
5-Year Average: 23 wins | Get to 800: 20.5 wins over 4 years
Will Reach 800 Wins Because ... He doesn't want to quit. Sutton is feeling good, he has his son on the bench with him, and he keeps getting tremendous athletes and top defenders. The Cowboys continue to win games in the Big 12 and he's close enough to continue.
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600 & Counting ...
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John Chaney, Temple
Age: 71 Career Wins: 681 (30 Years) | Last 10 Seasons: 217-110
5-Year Average: 20.5 wins | Get to 800: 20 wins over 6 years
Won't Reach 800 Wins Because ... Temple simply isn't good enough to win 20-plus games every season. Chaney is getting frustrated, and while he isn't going to quit in the near future, he might not want to coach well into his 70s to get to the milestone.
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Lute Olson, Arizona
Age: 68 Career Wins: 678 (29Years) | Last 10 Seasons: 258-67
5-Year Average: 25.6 wins | Get to 800: 24.6 wins over 5 years
Won't Reach 800 Wins Because ... He told ESPN.com he doesn't see it is possible. Olson is still on top of his game, and the Wildcats aren't going to suddenly wilt. But Olson needs to stay at this pace for at least the next five seasons and he's not sure he wants to go that long.
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Mike Krzyzewski, Duke
Age: 55 Career Wins: 651 (27 Years) | Last 10 Seasons: 277-48
5-Year Average: 34.8 wins | Get to 800: 30 wins over 5 years
Will Reach 800 Wins Because ... He is showing no reason to retire. He could easily coach for 10 to 15 more years and Duke is on pace to continue a trend of winning 20 to 28 games every season. If he keeps that pace up then he shouldn't have a problem getting into the same club as his mentor.
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Jim Calhoun, Connecticut
Age: 60 Career: 637 (30 Years) | Last 10 Seasons: 258-76
5-Year Average: 27.6 wins | Get to 800: 27 wins over 6 years
Won't Reach 800 Wins Because ... He might not want to coach another six, seven or even eight years to get to the record. If he does stay on the sidelines, then he's got a shot. As long as he's at Connecticut, the Huskies are going to win 20-plus games every season.
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Jim Boeheim, Syracuse
Age: 58 Career: 638 (27 Years) | Last 10 Seasons: 232-107
5-Year Average: 24 wins | Get to 800: 24 wins over 7 years
Will Reach 800 Wins Because ... Boeheim absolutely loves being the coach of Syracuse. He continues to get close, or eclipse 20 wins every season. Boeheim has the stamina to continue coaching and his young children will keep him grounded in Syracuse rather than retiring to a warmer climate. |
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Hugh Durham, Jacksonville
Age: 65 Career: 601 (35 Years) | Last 10 Seasons: 153-133
5-Year Average: 14.8 wins | Get to 800: 15 wins over 14 years
Won't Reach 800 Wins Because ... Well, the numbers just don't add up. As the latest to reach 600 wins, Durham would need both a major upgrade is success at Jacksonville, not to mention another decade of at least 20 wins. Getting to 700 will be a challenge.
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One More To Watch
Bob Huggins, Cincinnati
Age: 49 | Career Wins: 513 (22 Years) | Last 10 Seasons: 265-79
5-Year Average: 25.8 wins | Get to 800: 25 wins over 15 years
Will Reach 800 Wins Because ... Huggins doesn't want to slow down and he continually wins 20-plus every season. If Huggins stays healthy, then he's determined enough to stay at Cincinnati and not let the Bearcats program drop to below a 20-win season.
What About? ...
Dave Bliss, Baylor | Career Wins: 522
Won't Reach 800 Wins Because ... Bliss is at a school where he can't consistently win 20-plus games. If he were to get a big-time job then he would have a shot. But Bliss is closer to the end of his career than the beginning.
Rollie Massimino, Cleveland State | Career Wins: 514
Won't Reach 800 Wins Because ... Massimino won't coach long enough to get to the milestone. He has had his run and it was good, but not good enough to rack up enough wins at Villanova, UNLV and Cleveland State.
Cliff Ellis, Auburn | Career Wins: 513
Won't Reach 800 Wins Because ... The Tigers have been erratic the past few seasons. Ellis has done a remarkable job throughout his career, but he won't coach long enough or win enough games to get to 800.
Mike Montgomery, Stanford | Career Wins: 509
Won't Reach 800 Wins Because ... He told ESPN.com he doesn't foresee himself coaching long enough to get to this milestone. If he did stay in the business, he would have a shot because Stanford has proven to be a 20-plus win program under his direction.
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Gene Keady, Purdue | Career Wins: 502
Won't Reach 800 Wins Because ... Keady won't coach long enough to get to the level his long-time Big Ten rival is approaching. It might burn him that Knight would be in a club he couldn't be a member of, but Keady simply won't have the numbers or time on the sidelines to get close.
Gary Williams, Maryland | Career Wins: 495
Won't Reach 800 Wins Because ... He's simply too far away. Williams has done a sensational job, but he's too far away to reach this goal. He would have to coach for another 15 years or so to approach 800, and that could be too much stress for him to endure.
Ben Braun, California | Career Wins: 465
Won't Reach 800 Wins Because ... Cal isn't winning enough games every season to get there. Braun has kept Cal as an NCAA Tournament team, but he probably can't win enough games on a consistent basis. Braun could get another big-time job, so don't count him out. But it's still a reach.
Jim Harrick, Georgia | Career Wins: 465
Won't Reach 800 Wins Because ... He won't want to coach long enough to get there. Harrick is doing a fantastic job at Georgia, but he's probably not going to coach more than seven more years. He's not too old to continue but he might not have the drive beyond 2010.
Roy Williams, Kansas | Career Wins: 404
Won't Reach 800 Wins Because ... He told ESPN.com he can't see coaching 15 more years until he's 67 to get to the magic number. He could if he stays in the business because he's always going to win 20-plus while he's at Kansas.
Pat Kennedy, Montana | Career Wins: 402
Won't Reach 800 Wins Because ... There's no chance he stays in the game long enough, let alone wins enough games at Montana.
Rick Majerus, Utah | Career Wins: 398
Won't Reach 800 Wins Because ... He doesn't want to coach long enough to get close to this number. Majerus is a consistent winner, but he's too far away and he's closer to retiring than he is to coaching for another 15 years.
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Rick Pitino, Louisville | Career Wins: 387
Won't Reach 800 Wins Because ... He coached too many NBA seasons. Had Pitino stayed in the college ranks, he would have a legit shot. He was cruising at Providence, Kentucky and now Louisville. But the years in the NBA will prevent him from getting to 800.
Kelvin Sampson, Oklahoma | Career Wins: 379
Won't Reach 800 Wins Because ... He might not want to coach for another 15-plus seasons. He could get burned out with his intensity in the game. Sampson could get to 800 if he continues coaching, but that's a long commitment. He's a winner and will continue to win 20-plus at Oklahoma.
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