Grading college basketball’s 10 biggest coaching hires

Cal: Mark Madsen

With how the Golden Bears have played recently, it is easy to forget that they have some history. This is a program with 14 conference titles and a national title under Pete Newell in 1959. Will they become a juggernaut in the sport? Probably not. Can they at least be somewhat relevant again? That should at least be the goal.

For those who don’t keep up with Mid-Major college basketball, you likely only know Madsen for his role on the Championship Lakers in the early-2000s. The nine-year NBA veteran took over at Utah Valley when Mark Pope left for the BYU job in 2019 and over the past couple of years, the Wolverines have been one of the best teams in the WAC. Madsen may not be a slam dunk hire, but he at least has the potential to get Cal back on the right track.

James Worthy just called Mark Madsen live on air to congratulate him on the Cal job. pic.twitter.com/aEn1mTl4n2

— Ryan Gesas (@Geeseyy) March 29, 2023

Grade: B-