4 worst head coach hires in Georgia basketball history

If you want to talk about a lack of hope and encouragement, that’s how Tom Crean left the program after he was fired in 2022. Crean brought hope in droves to Athens, first with his resume that included a Final Four appearance at Marquette with Dwyane Wade and a nine-year tenure at Indiana, then with high-caliber recruits like Anthony Edwards. 

However, Crean didn’t deliver on any of that hope. Instead, he authored two under .500 seasons over his four years and never sniffed an NCAA Tournament at-large bid, even with Edwards who was eventually the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft. 

Crean was known for his ability to develop athletic guards like Edwards, and he helped turn him into an NBA star, but Edwards struggled at Georgia because of the severe lack of talent around him. Even with Edwards, Crean only won five SEC games. 

Even in the 2020-21 season, Crean had a talented group that included Sahvir Wheeler and K.D. Johnson, who are both still contributing on Power Five rosters in 2024. However, the team experienced a mass exodus after going just 14-12 and Georgia cratered in 2021-22, going 6-26, which led to Crean’s exit.