Paul Finebaum reveals which coaches need to win the National Championship the most

The college basketball season is rapidly coming to an end. Along with that, the race for the NCAA Tournament and ultimately a national championship has taken on its shape for March, and with that ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum shared that he believes Houston Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson is the coach who needs to win a national championship the most.

Finebaum explained on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning that, while Sampson is a great coach, it’s the national championship that he’s missing from his resume, even if Finebaum also feels that’s less important to a college basketball coach than to a football coach.

“I think you can mention Kelvin Sampson because he really has been a top flight coach,” Paul Finebaum said. “He’s had some Houston teams that probably should have won it all. There are always those coaches, but I think in terms of this year, he is clearly at the top of it because I don’t know too many other — [Tom] Izzo has won his national championship, he’s been to a ridiculous amount of Final Fours, but ultimately, there’s that one guy.”

Kelvin Sampson has been with Houston since 2014 and now at 69 years old is seeking his first national championship. With other stops at Washington State, Oklahoma, and Indiana, he has made the Final Four twice but never won a national championship.

At this point, Paul Finebaum went to make a point in comparing how a coach has their legacy impacted by a national championship. He emphasized that it’s actually more important for a football coach than a basketball coach, because a deep NCAA Tournament run is valuable in its own way to a college coach.

“We see it in football. We don’t see it as much because most of the guys have moved on,” Finebaum said. “But, ultimately, that’s how we define people. I know it’s a cliche you can just rinse, repeat, but national championships are where it’s at. In basketball, a Final Four will take you probably further than anything else. There’s nothing quite like it in college football. Losing a national championship in college football does not carry well. Just ask the coach in Tuscaloosa this morning.”

Paul Finebaum was referencing Kalen DeBoer, the Alabama football coach who lost the national championship in 2023 while at Washington and is now being criticized for his first season at Alabama not going well enough at 9-3. It’s something his resume is missing that will follow him if he is never able to win a championship of his own.

“But a Final Four, it’s a conversation piece and if Bruce Pearl or Nate Oats never wins a national championship, the day they leave their job it will still be ‘Bruce Pearl, whose brilliant career at Auburn was highlighted by a national championship run in 2019 and let’s say 2025.’ Football, it’s more,” Finebaum said. “When Frank Beamer retired, yes, his national championship game appearance was mentioned and also the fact that he couldn’t win one. Pat Dye sadly, you and I both know how great he was, but the missing ring really was, unfortunately, too much a part of his legacy.”

Conference tournaments are just over a week away and then Selection Sunday is scheduled for March 16th, setting up the NCAA Tournament and the race to the next Final Four and national championship.