Top 5 early candidates for 2025-26 Coach of the Year award ft. Matt Painter

The coach of the year voting for 2024-25 was fractured. Rick Pitino won the AP Coach of the Year vote, while Jon Scheyer won the McClendon Award and Chris Beard won the Phelan Award. Could 2025-26 feature more of a consensus situation? Here are five potential candidates to nab the honors next season.

Top 5 early Coach of the Year candidates

St. John's coach Rick Pitino won one national Coach of the Year award for last season, but could make it a clean sweep in 2025-26. (Photo Credit: IMAGN)

Rick Pitino, St. John's

Yes, Pitino won the AP honor this past season. But the split verdict leaves him with a chance to win again in 2025-26. What Pitino has done in two seasons at St. John's has been remarkable. After improving from 18 wins the year before he arrived to 20 in year one, Pitino won 31 games last year, the most for St. John's since 1985-86.

With a stronger postseason run, Pitino could be the top coach again next season. He's certainly laid the groundwork.

Mark Pope, Kentucky

On the other hand, former Pitino player Pope could be the man. Pope took Kentucky to the Sweet 16 in his first season in Lexington, Kentucky's first such run since 2019. With a full offseason to build his team, Pope figures to have an impressive second year in Lexington. If he can put Kentucky in the thick of the SEC race and continue postseason success, Pope might be the man.

Pat Kelsey, Louisville

Kelsey had an astonishing first season at Lousiville. The Cardinals were 12-52 over the past two seasons and Kelsey jumped that to 27-8. The only thing missing on Kelsey's to-do list was some NCAA Tournament success. If the Cardinals can tack that in, Kelsey would make an excellent candidate for Coach of the Year honors.

Kevin Young, BYU

Young took over a competent BYU team and raised the level from day one. After 23 wins and a first-round NCAA exit the year before Young, the Cougars won 26 games and made the Sweet 16. They've added consensus top recruit AJ Dybantsa and Young is setting up for perhaps the program's best team ever. He's a plausible Coach of the Year candidate.

Matt Painter, Purdue

The biggest winner of the offseason was probably Matt Painter at Purdue. He's keeping Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn from last season's team. The Boilermakers added some portal contributors, including big man Oscar Cluff. The Boilermakers are a likely potential No.1 heading into the season. For Painter, a season that proceeds as expected could make him the Coach of the Year.

What do you think of our Coach of the Year candidates? Share your take below in our comments section!