ESPN analyst P.J. Carlesimo, who made the leap from coaching college (at Seton Hall) to the NBA (with the Portland Trail Blazers) two decades ago, has an important criteria for the success or failure of any current college coach hoping to follow in his footsteps:
"Contract situation, relationship with the general manager or owner," he said. "I think that would be critical. In terms of the actual coaching, you just need a good roster."
Carlesimo is the only head coach hired directly from the NCAA ranks without any NBA experience to post an above-.500 record in recent NBA history, and he freely admits that's a product of the Blazers' talent. Portland was three seasons removed from losing in the NBA Finals when Carlesimo arrived, and while the Blazers traded Clyde Drexler midway through Carlesimo's first season, they replaced him with veteran talent.
That's the exception for most college coaches, who take over teams that are either just starting the rebuilding process (like Tim Floyd in Chicago and the most recent hire, Brad Stevens in Boston) or have already bottomed out.
"You're dead in the water before you even start," Carlesimo said.
A good relationship with the front office can also help coaches overcome an inevitable slow start.