South Carolina basketball coach Lamont Paris was the man in charge of one of the best turnarounds in college basketball in recent memory.
In Paris' first year, Carolina went 11-21, tying a program record for losses in a single season. Even with 5-star GG Jackson on the team, the Gamecocks were a pitiful offensive bunch and not good enough on defense to make up for it as they struggled all season.
In year 2, Paris led his team to a 26-8 record, tying the program's best-ever win mark and breaking the record for regular season wins in Gamecock history. South Carolina basketball was picked to finish dead last in the SEC this year; instead, they finished tied for 2nd and easily made their way to the NCAA tournament.
Lamont Paris and Iowa State Cyclones coach TJ Ozleberger had the best turnaround seasons in major college basketball (Iowa State was one of the final teams in the NCAA Tournament a year ago and was unranked in the preseason polls before being a 2-seed this year), and both coaches were named finalists for the Naismith National Coach of the Year Award.
They were joined by the head coaches of two teams often considered two of the three best in the country this year as UConn's Dan Hurley and Houston's Kelvin Sampson rounded out the four finalists.
Despite being the most surprising coach included on the list of finalists based on preseason expectations, Paris did not get enough credit from the voters for the massive turnaround to win the honor. Instead, defending national champion Dan Hurley won the award.
Paris will have more chances to win the award with the Gamecocks as he recently signed a huge extension that will keep him in garnet and black at least until the 2029-2030 season.