Ranking the Top 20 Coach-Player Duos in College Basketball in 2014-15

Every college basketball coach is only as good as his players. Schemes and set plays can only do so much; for a coach to be successful, he has to have talent and be able to work with that talent effectively.

Look at the top teams in the country from last season and heading into the 2014-15 campaign, and you'll see a common thread: a good coach and at least one key player. Put them together, and the wins are much easier to attain. Each duo has its own impact on the results for its team, yet one part of the duo can't be expected to do as well without the other.

With only a few weeks left before the season gets going, here's our ranking of the 20 best player-coach duos in college basketball, along with a little explanation of why they work so well together.

20. R.J. Hunter and Ron Hunter, Georgia State

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

We'll get things started with a natural candidate for a top player-coach duo, one that extends far beyond the court and continues at home. Georgia State coach Ron Hunter's success with the Panthers is directly connected to both the play of and relationship with his son, junior guard R.J. Hunter.

The 6'6" R.J. Hunter led Georgia State in scoring last season at 18.3 points per game, meshing perfectly with Kentucky transfer Ryan Harrow. They'll welcome another high-profile guard transfer in former Louisville player Kevin Ware this season, and all of them will get strong guidance from Ron Hunter as he looks to establish Georgia State as a destination program for up-and-coming recruits and players looking for a fresh start.

Having R.J. Hunter in that mix is a great piece of the puzzle, too, since he can serve as a bridge between the players and the coach.

19. Kevin Pangos and Mark Few, Gonzaga

YOUNG KWAK/Associated Press

There have been a lot of constants with Gonzaga during its 15-year run as the top mid-major program in the country, but above all others has been a strong guard running things on the court as an extension of coach Mark Few. The Bulldogs had two of them last season, but now Kevin Pangos is going at it on his own as the floor leader and catalyst of the offense.

Pangos, a 6'2" senior, is Gonzaga's top returning scorer and assist man. With Byron Wesley coming over from USC as a high-scoring transfer, as well as other returners like Gary Bell Jr. and Przemek Karnowski, Pangos will be more of a facilitator than a shooter. This will fit well with what Few will want from his point guard, and they'll make a nice combination working together.

18. Ron Baker and Gregg Marshall, Wichita State

BILL BOYCE/Associated Press

The rise of Wichita State from the mess of mid-major hopefuls to a true power program is directly related to the work Gregg Marshall has done in his seven seasons in America's Heartland. He's now got the players he wants running his system, with sparkplugs like Ron Baker creating havoc all over the court.

Baker is heading into his third season with the Shockers, and in his career, he has reached the Final Four and been a part of a team that ran off a 35-0 start to last season. Baker has been key to those runs with his fiery play and stat-stuffing numbers, and with Wichita State losing inside presence Cleanthony Early, he'll be a big part of what it does this season.

17. Malcolm Brogdon and Tony Bennett, Virginia

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

There were plenty of surprise teams in 2013-14, but none were as unforeseen as Virginia, as it won not only the ACC regular-season title, but also the conference tournament crown en route to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament and a Sweet 16 appearance. Tony Bennett's slow development of the Cavaliers program finally hit a high note, with Malcolm Brogdon serving as a key piece of that success.

Brogdon, a 6'5" junior guard, led Virginia in scoring (12.7 points per game) and assists (2.7) last season. That came after he missed 2012-13 following foot surgery, yet you would've never been able to tell from his performance. He was the perfect player for Bennett's methodical system, and he will be again this year.

16. Myles Turner and Rick Barnes, Texas

The 10-year run of Kansas dominance in the Big 12 Conference could be at risk this season, as the league continues to get stronger and deeper. Texas thrust itself into that mix last year with a strong performance, and now with the addition of star recruit Myles Turner, we may see the best Longhorns team under Rick Barnes in seven years.

Turner, a 5-star center who was the crown jewel of the spring signing period in college basketball, gives Texas that dynamic big man it's been lacking over the past few seasons. Barnes has worked well with post players in the past and should get the most out of Turner as Texas pushes for the Big 12 crown.

15. Delon Wright and Larry Krystkowiak, Utah

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

All signs point to Utah making its return to the NCAA tournament this season. Coach Larry Krystkowiak has resurrected a program that bottomed out to 6-25 in 2011-12 but won 21 games a year ago.

Delon Wright is just as much a part of that turnaround as the coach, though. There were few players that were more essential to their team than Wright was to the Utes in 2013-14. As a junior, the 6'5" guard led the team in scoring (15.5 points per game) and assists (5.3) and was second in rebounding (6.8) while shooting an astounding 56.1 percent.

Krystkowiak was a productive post player during his NBA career, yet he works well with Wright and his guard skills. They make a unique combo, but one that has gotten it done.

14. Jahlil Okafor and Mike Krzyzewski, Duke

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has an unofficial spot on this list annually thanks to his constant possession of some of the best players in the nation. That's no different this season, as he once again has a star-studded team highlighted by the No. 1 overall recruit from the class of 2014.

Jahlil Okafor is already getting hype as a potential National Player of the Year even before he's played his first game for the Blue Devils. The 6'11" center from Chicago should be Krzyzewski's best player this season, and with the legendary coach providing teaching throughout the season, this duo is no doubt among the best in the nation.

13. Chasson Randle and Johnny Dawkins, Stanford

USA TODAY Sports

Johnny Dawkins had the chance to work with many dynamic scorers while on the coaching staff at Duke, but since coming to Stanford, he's had far fewer players that would fit into that bill. That is, other than Chasson Randle.

Randle, a 6'2" senior guard, is coming off a superb 2013-14 season in which he averaged 18.8 points per game and shot a stellar 47.4 percent from the field. Randle has averaged at least 13 points each season for the Cardinal, but Dawkins was able to draw something special from him last year, and that helped the team reach the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2008.

12. Ryan Boatright and Kevin Ollie, Connecticut

Eric Gay/Associated Press

Kevin Ollie had to fight an uphill battle when replacing legendary Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun, but after winning the national title last season, Ollie has quickly moved into the coaching elite. Having a great guard like Shabazz Napier to work with last season certainly helped.

That player-coach relationship was one of the best in the nation in 2013-14, and Ollie figures to be part of another great pairing this season with guard Ryan Boatright running things in the backcourt. Boatright served as a great sidekick to Napier during the title run, and now it's his Huskies team to run with Ollie giving him plenty of room to operate.

11. Caris LeVert and John Beilein, Michigan

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Michigan coach John Beilein has had to get used to the almost-annual shift in star leadership from his basketball team, the byproduct of having great players produce big results and springboard that into an early departure to the NBA.

Next up on the Wolverines' star assembly line is Caris LeVert, a 6'7" junior guard who is expected to slide into the roles previously held by Nik Stauskas last season and Trey Burke the year before as the team's go-to player.

Beilein has shown the ability to cultivate this approach in his players while at Michigan, even when most weren't that highly touted as recruits. LeVert began that jump last season, averaging 12.9 points and shooting 40.8 percent from outside, but now he'll be the guy instead of a supporting player.

10. Marcus Foster and Bruce Weber, Kansas State

One of the most underrated freshmen from last season was Marcus Foster, a powerful 6'2" guard who led Kansas State in scoring as it finished in the middle of the pack in the tough Big 12 Conference and reached the NCAA tournament.

Foster's return, along with the guidance of veteran coach Bruce Weber, will make for a potent combination in 2014-15.

"He's a marked man and he has to be ready to deal with that," Weber told Ken Corbitt of The Topeka Capitol-Journal in regard to higher expectations for Foster this season. He averaged 15.5 points per game and shot 39.5 percent from three-point range as a first-year player, and with extra time to work with Weber, he should have another big year.

9. Shaq Goodwin and Josh Pastner, Memphis

John F. Rhodes/Associated Press

A year after having a veteran backcourt and young players up front, Memphis coach Josh Pastner finds himself with the complete opposite this season. His post players are more experienced than those at the guard spots, with big man Shaq Goodwin among his most noteworthy returners.

Goodwin, a 6'9" junior who was an all-conference selection last year in the American Athletic Conference, is the perfect kind of player to exude the overabundant energy that Pastner exudes on the sideline. Both will feed off each other, making for a great combination of player and coach.

8. Juwan Staten and Bob Huggins, West Virginia

USA TODAY Sports

It's been an up-and-down few years for Bob Huggins at his alma mater, West Virginia. His return to the school in 2007 has produced five trips to the NCAA tournament but none in the past two seasons, and recently, he's dealt with players transferring from the program.

One standout that Huggins has managed to hold onto, though, is Juwan Staten. The 6'1" senior guard is one of the more electric players in the country, averaging 18.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists last season. If the Mountaineers are going to get it going in their third year of Big 12 play (after going 15-21 in the conference in their first two seasons), it will be because of Staten and how he and Huggins work together.

7. T.J. McConnell and Sean Miller, Arizona

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

A good number of college basketball coaches were once players themselves, and oftentimes they'll identify best with their charges who play the same position. It's easy to see this bond between Arizona coach Sean Miller—a point guard at Pittsburgh—and the Wildcats' floor leader, senior T.J. McConnell.

McConnell's transfer from Duquesne helped provide Arizona with that one piece it was lacking from previous Miller-coached teams, someone who could be a coach on the court and help direct the team's bevy of talented athletes. That wasn't available to the Wildcats in 2012-13, but last year, McConnell helped orchestrate the program's second trip to the Elite Eight in four years.

6. Aaron Harrison and John Calipari, Kentucky

USA TODAY Sports

Kentucky's John Calipari routinely brings in some of the top talent in the nation, so it's not a stretch to say he'd be on this list annually with one of his players. The choices are usually more distinct, but this season, Calipari rests a lot of his hopes on how sophomore guard Aaron Harrison performs.

Harrison, who along with twin brother Andrew Harrison chose to stay in college another year rather than go pro, is now considered a veteran on the Wildcats roster despite only one year under his belt. Last season, he averaged 13.7 points and was Kentucky's top three-point shooter at 35.6 percent, including clutch threes to beat Michigan in the Elite Eight and Wisconsin in the Final Four.

Aaron Harrison will be the Wildcats' top returning scorer and the player who Calipari will be most reliant upon for on-court leadership.

5. Terran Petteway and Tim Miles, Nebraska

Nati Harnik/Associated Press

Nebraska made its way onto the national stage last season with its first NCAA tournament bid since 1998, and the Cornhuskers did so thanks to a great player-coach pairing in forward Terran Petteway and head coach Tim Miles.

Petteway, a transfer from Texas Tech who had to sit out the 2012-13 season, was one of the best players in the Big Ten last year. He averaged 18.1 points per game to become the first Nebraska player to lead a conference in scoring since Andre Smith in 1980-81.

Miles, in his second year with the program in 2013-14, helped turn around a team that hadn't been relevant in more than a decade. Together, they're one of the best duos to watch this season.

4. Montrezl Harrell and Rick Pitino, Louisville

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

The decision by Montrezl Harrell to return to college for his junior year was among the biggest surprises of the offseason. It also meant another season of getting to see the beastly forward develop and thrive under the guidance of coach Rick Pitino.

Harrell was one of the most dominant post players in the country last season, and he'll no doubt benefit from another year with Pitino giving him instruction. The Louisville duo will take on a different dynamic this year, as with veteran guard Russ Smith gone, Pitino will look to Harrell to provide leadership as well as strong production.

3. Georges Niang and Fred Hoiberg, Iowa State

David Purdy/Getty Images

Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg has managed to turn the risky venture of loading up on transfers into a winning formula. But his best player this season is one of the few he grabbed out of the high school ranks and has been able to work with for his entire college career.

Georges Niang had a monster sophomore year, his second with the Cyclones, in 2013-14 before a broken foot ended his season early during the NCAA tournament. According to his online bio, he's lost 25 pounds since last season, making his 6'8" frame even more athletic and tough to guard.

Hoiberg has plenty of talent on his roster, but none will be as important to this season as Niang. The two are linked and will win or lose with each other.

2. Frank Kaminsky and Bo Ryan, Wisconsin

USA TODAY Sports

Bo Ryan has developed a reputation at Wisconsin of putting together blue-collar teams that represent the morals and values of the upper Midwest. There's not much better of a way to describe the superstar he unleashed on the country last season in center Frank Kaminsky.

The 7'0" Kaminsky was a little-used reserve during his first two seasons with the Badgers, but last year as a junior, he exploded onto the scene as a big man who could do it all. Not surprisingly, his rise coincided with Wisconsin's first trip to the Final Four since 2000.

Kaminsky isn't the only standout player for Wisconsin; he's one of four starters coming back from last year's team. But he's the most recognizable and the one you most think of when Ryan's name is mentioned in discussions of the top coaches in college basketball.

1. Marcus Paige and Roy Williams, North Carolina

North Carolina coach Roy Williams found himself in a pickle last season when veterans P.J. Hairston and Leslie McDonald were suspended amid allegations of receiving extra benefits. This left the Tar Heels thin on experience in the backcourt and forced Williams to turn to a young but talented player he felt could pick up the slack.

Marcus Paige did just that, more or less carrying UNC through the year and to the third round of the NCAA tournament.

Paige had a breakout sophomore year, more than doubling his scoring from 8.2 points per game as a freshman in 2012-13 to 17.5 last season while also leading the Heels in assists and taking (and making) more than half of the team's three-pointers.

Paige and Williams also make a pretty good dance duo, as can be seen in the above video that features Paige in the role of singer Pharrell Williams in UNC athletics' rendition of the song "Happy."

Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.