WALTHAM, Mass. — After a recent Boston Celtics practice at the team’s training site here, I asked guard Marcus Smart why he felt that so many great college coaches had failed to make a successful leap to the N.B.A.
The list of those who have tried and failed is impressive: Lon Kruger, Tim Floyd, Mike Montgomery, P. J. Carlesimo.
Rick Pitino had a good first run with the Knicks but failed with the Celtics.
There was talk during this year’s N.C.A.A. men’s tournament that John Calipari might leave Kentucky and try for a second stint in the N.