Who do you think was/is the best coach for the athletes they mentored?

Always been fascinated by the impact coaches can have on their athletes, whether in team or individual sports. Curious who you all think ranks among the greatest coaches in any sport.

Ill kick it off with a very niche one, but since I grew up in the Sprint Kayaking sport and living in Canada, Adam Van Koeverden was a large name for us. I actually met his coach, Scott Oldershaw, and his mentality, attention to detail and how he composed himself was just levels above what I ever seen at the time. Might have been a bit of a star struck kid at the time but he was certainly doing something right.

Obviously Cus D'Amato and Mike Tyson come to mind.

100% agree there, a large contribution to his overall success.

Yes, without Cus there would have not been the Mike we know..Cus kept his head in boxing and we all know Mike was a lil out there...

Anybody that Coach Krzyzewski coached...Coach is a legend and when he coached the Olympic team when there were well-known stars there they all had praise for him...

You can't do this and not mention Belichick and Brady...like him or not, Belichick and Brady was a good combo for sports...

Popovich and Duncan....

Phil Jackson and any player.....Just Phil alone, what he did was amazing...

ABooksNightmare already mentioned some really good ones.

I'll add Pat Riley and Magic Johnson

Here's a deeper dive - Leo Mazzone with Tom Glavine and John Smoltz.

Pep and Mess

Bob Knight for coaching the ONLY undefeated team in NCAA Men's history to 32-0. Starters Scott May, Quinn Buckner, Bobby Wilkerson and Kent Benson. Of the four listed, only Quinn Buckner went on to play in the NBA with any notoriety 

Earl Woods and Tiger    

@ABooksNightmare

Agree with this for sure. Not to discredit what Belichick has done, but I was always curious if Tom Brady could have done similar things else where. Not a huge Tom Brady fan myself but he was an exceptional player.

@Daddy_Freddie

 Bob Knight Legend for that.

I'm about to throw shade. Coach K gets blue chip talent every year. He just gets top recruits. He doesn't really teach them fundamentals. Especially in the last 10 years. They win on talent. And for all the talent they've sent to the NBA, not a ton of it translates. When I think of a college coach developing talent, and developing men, I think of Bobby Knight and Tom Izzo.

I love Belichick. Love defense. Love the 3-4, and he is the master. And he created the Patriot way. Discipline. Execution. Accountability. Excellence. However, Tom Brady is a QB. And Charlie Weiss installed the offense that Brady ran for most of his career. So for the sake of this subject, I don't think it fits. I think a better fit is Joe Montana and Bill Walsh.

Phil Jackson? Jordan is Jordan regardless of Phil. Kobe is Kobe regardless. Phil is overrated. Pop and Duncan fit. Pop and Tony Parker, Manu, and Kawhi.

The Karoylis and any number of female gymnist. That's a rough one given the abuse that comes with thst world.

Good one!

Probably have to go Alex Ferguson

love him or hate him Man Utd wouldn't have been as successful during the 90's & early 2000's without his impact on players like Beckham, Scholes, Keane, Giggs, Neville, Butt and so on 

Herb Brooks - Mike Eruzione

You can't squeeze blood from a stone?

Eruzione was not talented but Brooks did.

@StumpTownStu

 "When I think of a college coach developing talent, and developing men, I think of Bobby Knight and Tom Izzo." Growing up on Big Ten basketball you're preaching to the choir" right here!