COLLEGE COACH VS. NBA COACH WHO HAS MORE JOB SECURITY?

Is there a such thing as job security for National Basketball Association coaches? From how this season started with the firing of numerous coaches before the halfway point, some would answer this question with a BIG NO. Nowadays, coaches come and go no matter the success from the previous year. We live in a “what have you done for me lately” kind of world. Is that fair for coaches in the NBA?

For college coaches to be on the hot seat for not winning or winning enough is understandable since they have the luxury of selecting their team.2 Most coaches are not only great coaches but are also great at scouting talent. College coaches have the luxury of organizing a team that best fits their system and coaching style. But if there logic doesn’t work, college coaches can also be on the hot seat.

Via Google images

“This is a business” is one of the most used saying after firing is done in the professional ranks. Unlike, college coaches in the luxury they have when choosing a team that could possibly win together, there is more to creating a NBA team. A team’s budget is vital when looking at adding a player to the team. General Managers in the NBA have the task of putting together a team while the head coach have the task of making the pieces work as unit to achieve success.

In today’s NBA, it is the best player on the team vs. the head coach. If the best player doesn’t necessarily agree with the calls of the head coach, this could possibly cause the coach to be on the hot seat.1 One player that is known for vetoing the call from his coach is the great Lebron James. Earlier this year, David Blatt was fired from the Cleveland Cavs which is rumored that Lebron had something to do with this. The coaches in the NBA already are at a disadvantage considering that the players on the team make more money than the coach. These are professional players and not college players which means you have to deal with egos, big egos. College players for the most part are coachable and humble. Their plan and goal is to get the professional ranks. Having a bad attitude with their coach could prevent them from making it to the NBA.  

1Lancastrer, J. (2016 January 3). Why don’t college coaches typically achieve in the NBA? Retrieved from https://www.quora.com/Why-dont-college-coaches-typically-succeed-in-the-NBA

2Chase, C. (2015 February 19). 9 reasons college basketball is better than the NBA. Retrieved from http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/02/college-basketball-better-than-nba-ncaa