This time of year means one thing, March Madness. The NCAA Tournament is in full swing, and the top teams are starting to flex their muscles. A champion will be crowned in a few short weeks. This summer, the NBA’s best will take the biggest stage. Teams will gather in the playoffs to see if one team can dethrone the Golden State Warriors. In the post season, it is a combination of great players on the court, and a great coach off it.

In college basketball, coaching is king. The head man on the sideline is responsible for getting his team ready to play every night because it is win or go home. Some of the top coaches in the nation have been linked to the NBA. The idea of Villanova’s Jay Wright coaching the Sixers has been played around with. Kentucky’s John Calipari is always brought up.

One coach who made the jump was Billy Donovan, who was the head coach at Florida before joining the Oklahoma City Thunder. What about the other way? NBA coaches going to coach in college is a rarity, however it should be a thought for some coaches. Here are five guys who might find more success in college than they have in the NBA.

5. Dwane Casey, Detroit Pistons

It might be strange seeing a former NBA Coach of the Year on this list. Casey won the award in 2018 after being fired as head coach of the Toronto Raptors. Casey led the Raptors to five straight winning seasons, and three straight 50 win seasons. He is currently head coach of the Detroit Pistons who are the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference as of now.

Casey will most likely never make the transition, especially at age 61. He will play out his career as an NBA coach, however he could find great success in college basketball. Casey has never been able to get over the hump. He lost year in and year out to LeBron James in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

The Raptors were never able to get to the NBA Finals because they could not beat the best player in the world. Casey is an exceptional coach, and James does not play college basketball. Winning at any level is an accomplishment. Casey is the type of coach who can lead a college program to greatness.

4. Scott Brooks, Washington Wizards

Brooks has been an NBA head coach for 10 years now. He has one Finals’ appearance under his belt with the Thunder. He has been in Washington for three seasons now, and it has not been a smooth ride. Brooks has led the Wizards to the playoffs in his first two seasons. They have yet to make an Eastern Conference Finals, and have just one series win. Washington will not be in the playoffs this season. The John Wall-Bradley Beal backcourt has not had the success that D.C. was expecting.

Is this Brooks fault? Not necessarily. The Wizards were a dumpster fire before he arrived, however it does not look like it is changing. Brooks has the feel of a Donovan, Calipari type coach. These are coaches that thrive in college hoops. In the NBA, Brooks seems like the beneficiary of good rosters. In college, he would have a chance to be the leader.

3. Alvin Gentry, New Orleans Pelicans

How many chances can one coach get? Gentry is currently coaching his fifth team. He has spent time with the Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, and Phoenix Suns. He has found himself in New Orleans now on the verge of losing his best player. In between head coaching jobs, Gentry has served as an assistant to many teams. He has coaches over 1,000 games in his career, and has 540 losses.

There comes a time where a change needs to be made. Gentry has jumped around the NBA over the years. Schools are always looking for coaches with NBA experience. Gentry is one who could take a flier on a program, and turn them into contenders.

2. Luke Walton, Los Angeles Lakers

There is no coach more criticized currently than Walton. This is the LeBron James effect parlayed with coaching in Los Angeles. Walton put his name on the map in 2015 when he led the Warriors to a 39-4 start when Steve Kerr missed time recovering from back surgery.

This is his third season as coach of the Lakers. His first two years were viewed as rebuilding years until James arrived. Once the King signed, the Lakers had NBA Finals hopes. It has not played out that way. James missed time due to injury, and the team fell apart. Walton is almost certainly out as coach after the season.

Walton has been linked to the UCLA job. The Bruins got rid of Steve Alford at the beginning of this season, and will be looking for a new man in charge. This is the perfect situation for Walton. One knock on him is that he is not vocal enough to lead an NBA team. Coaches need to have different relationships with each individual player. In college hoops, a coach can implement his own style to be successful. Walton’s coaching career is not over. He is 38 years old. Just because it did not work out in Los Angeles, does not mean that Walton cannot be a great collegiate coach.

1. Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics

Stevens is about to lead the Celtics to the playoffs for the fifth straight season. They won 50 games each of the past two seasons. Boston lost to Cleveland in the Conference Finals to end both of those seasons. Stevens and the Celtics are on their way back to the playoffs this season. It has been a bumpy ride, but they will have the chance to prove that they are still contenders.

Yes, Stevens has had success in the NBA. Does anyone remember the job he did at Butler? Four Horizon League regular season titles, three Conference Tournament titles, NCAA Tournament five times in six seasons, two AP Top-15 finishes, ranked in the AP Top-10 twice, 20 wins in all six seasons.

Let’s not forget the back-to-back National Championship appearances. He was unable to win one, but the job he did is undeniable. Stevens is the ultimate x’s and o’s coach. His basketball mind is that of a genius. When the Celtics come knocking, you have to answer. Stevens left for the NBA, however he had the chance to be one of the great college coaches ever.