Scott Drew, Mark Few Ahead of John Calipari in CBS Coach Rankings

A coach that was once a punchline in the industry has now moved past John Calipari in college basketball’s pecking order.

Kentucky‘s head basketball coach did crack the top five of CBS Sports’ college basketball coach rankings. The top 25 was assembled as a composite from Gary Parrish, Matt Norlander, Kyle Boone and David Cobb. As Hall of Famers age out of the industry, the CBS Sports foursome believes John Calipari is now one of the most visible coaches in the sport, just not the best.

Coach Cal ranked fourth. I’ll give you one guess who takes the top spot. (Hint: It’s a guy with a rag on the top of his head that is best friends with everyone in the media.) That’s right — You guessed it — Bill Self! A guy who has never won a National Title, Mark Few, is second, with Scott Drew at third, followed by Calipari. Here’s what Cobb had to say about the Wildcats’ head coach:

Seven seasons have passed since Kentucky last made a Final Four, and those years have featured their share of disappointing final outcomes. But there remains no more recognizable coach in the game than Calipari, who is embarking on his 14th season at Kentucky with a team picked to win the SEC. He won the 2012 national title with a historically dominant team and also took UMass and Memphis to Final Fours, though they were later vacated. While Kentucky fans are getting antsy for another deep postseason run, Calipari continues to recruit at a top-notch level and is a three-time Naismith Coach of the Year with enough tread on the tires to continue building on his already immense legacy.

CBS Sports

John Calipari is one of three SEC coaches in the Top 10. Bruce Pearl comes in at No. 8, just ahead of Eric Musselman at No. 10. Take a look at the coaches from the rankings Kentucky will face throughout the 2022-23 season.

• 1. Bill Self, Kansas
• 2. Mark Few, Gonzaga
• 7. Tom Izzo, Michigan State
• 8. Bruce Pearl, Auburn
• 9. Mick Cronin, UCLA
• 10. Eric Musselman, Arkansas
• 14. Rick Barnes, Tennessee
• 26. Juwan Howard, Michigan

For those counting at home, Kentucky will face 60% of the Top 10 college basketball coaches in America this year. John Calipari has plenty of opportunities to prove he’s the best of the best.

[CBS Sports: Top 25 And 1 College Basketball Coaches]