South Carolina Basketball: Ranking the worst coaches in Gamecock history

South Carolina Basketball’s Worst Coach of All-Time:
Steve Newton

Steve Newton (1991-1993) was hired in controversial fashion as the South Carolina Gamecocks entered the SEC in 1991. George Felton had just been fired despite winning twenty games the previous season and seeming to have the program back on track after things went awry at the end of Bill Foster’s tenure when the latter had a heart attack and never fully bounced back.

What makes the controversy surrounding Newton worse is that legendary basketball coach Larry Brown was in serious discussions to take the job at Carolina. After telling he reporters he would “listen with interest” if contacted about the South Carolina job, Dixon set up a meeting with Brown. However, Dixon’s ridiculous behavior dissuaded Brown from taking the job.

Dixon insulted Brown during a dinner and repeatedly attempted to undermine his future authority as coach by reminding him that the athletics director ranked higher than the basketball coach. Brown passed on the job offer and elected to stay with the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, and Newton was hired from Murray State.

During Newton’s disastrous two-year reign as the leader of the Gamecock program, all the progress made during George Felton’s tenure seemingly vanished as South Carolina basketball went 8-22 in the SEC and 20-35 overall despite having four future professional players on the team (and Joe Rhett, who would have been a pro if not for a heart issue).

The negative impact of Newton’s coaching stint in Columbia was felt even after he was fired as Eddie Fogler’s first two seasons were also losing efforts. Newton was, for some reason, hired as an associate athletics director at South Carolina after “resigning” as the head basketball coach.