The Gonzaga leader, since the turn of the century, is back on the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame ballot. He was named with 46 other influential hoop nominees from across North America.
Few is listed on
the ballot for the second straight year, having just missed the cut from one of the 17 finalists for the 2025 class. Nine names were granted the honor last year in Carmelo Anthony, Sue Bird, Sylvia Fowles, Maya Moore, Dwight Howard, Billy Donovan, the 2008 USA men’s national team, Mickey Arison, and Danny Crawford.
Few ranks as the winningest active NCAA Division I coach by a winning percentage at 83.1 percent with an overall record of 753-153. The legend has also coached over 31 former Zags (and counting) to have played in the NBA during his tenure.
“One of the most successful coaches in college basketball history, Few has led Gonzaga to two NCAA national championship game appearances (2017, 2021) and 25 consecutive NCAA Tournament berths through 2024. He is the winningest active coach by percentage and has won at least 20 games in all 25 seasons with the Bulldogs. Few, who is the second fastest to 700 wins in NCAA Division I history, was named the Naismith Coach of the Year twice (2017, 2021) and has won at least a share of 22 WCC regular-season titles and 19 WCC tournament championships. He has coached 22 All-Americans at Gonzaga and captured a gold medal as an assistant coach in the 2024 Paris Olympics.” – Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Gonzaga coach Mark Few
Since taking over the head coaching reins for the Zags way back in 1999, Few has had accomplishment after accomplishment. Here are a few, no pun intended:
- 44-25 NCAA Tournament record, 54-6 WCC Tournament record
- 22x regular season WCC titles (share included)
- 20x WCC Tournament titles
- 14x WCC Coach of the Year awards
- 2x Naismith Coach of the Year awards
- 2x National Championship finalists
- 6x Elite Eight appearances
- 14x Sweet 16 appearances
- 26 straight NCAA Tournament appearances
- 1x Olympic Gold medalist
The announcement for the Class of 2026 is to be announced by Feb. 9. Few will someday have his name etched in history in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
