Tennessee basketball coach Rick Barnes is a nominee for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025, the group announced via ESPN on Thursday.
This is the second year Barnes has been a candidate for the national basketball hall of fame after being nominated for the 2024 class.
Barnes, 70, is in Year 38 as a head coach in Division I college basketball in a career that spanned across five schools.
Barnes ranks 13th all-time among men’s college basketball coaches in Division I with 817 victories, including a record of 213-101 in 10 seasons at Tennessee. His wins total at UT ranks second in program history, and this season’s team (ranked No. 1 in the country) can extend a three-year streak of at least 25 victories in each season.
The Lenoir-Rhyne alum has made the NCAA Tournament 28 times, making the Final Four in 2003 at Texas. Excluding the COVID-impacted 2020 season, the Vols have made the NCAA Tournament in six straight seasons and are likely to add to that streak in 2025.
Among the other nominees include recently retired NBA legends Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard, NBA title-winning coach Doc Rivers, Gonzaga coach Mark Few, former Florida coach Billy Donovan and others.
