Mark Few is once again on the doorstep of basketball immortality.
The longtime Gonzaga head coach has been named to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame ballot for the second straight year, joining 46 other nominees who’ve left a lasting impact on the game across North America. While he narrowly missed the cut last year-when names like Carmelo Anthony, Sue Bird, Dwight Howard, and the 2008 USA Men’s National Team were inducted-Few’s resume remains one of the most compelling in college basketball history.
And it’s not hard to see why.
Few’s numbers speak for themselves. His career winning percentage sits at a staggering 83.1%, the highest among active NCAA Division I coaches.
His overall record? 753-153.
That’s not just consistent success-that’s two and a half decades of turning Gonzaga into a perennial powerhouse.
Since taking the reins in Spokane back in 1999, Few has turned what was once a mid-major program into a national force. He’s led the Bulldogs to 25 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances through 2024, including two national championship game appearances in 2017 and 2021. That kind of sustained excellence is rare in any era, especially in a sport where roster turnover and one-and-done talent can make stability elusive.
Few isn’t just stacking wins-he’s shaping careers. Over 31 former Gonzaga players have gone on to play in the NBA under his watch, a testament to both his player development and his ability to identify talent that fits his system.
He’s coached 22 All-Americans, and his impact has extended beyond the college game. As an assistant coach, he also helped guide Team USA to gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Here’s a closer look at what Few has accomplished:
- 44-25 record in the NCAA Tournament
- 54-6 record in the West Coast Conference (WCC) Tournament
- 22 WCC regular-season titles (including shared titles)
- 20 WCC Tournament championships
- 14 WCC Coach of the Year awards
- 2 Naismith Coach of the Year honors (2017, 2021)
- 6 Elite Eight appearances
- 14 Sweet 16 appearances
- 26 straight NCAA Tournament appearances
- 1 Olympic gold medal (2024, assistant coach)
Few also holds the distinction of being the second-fastest coach in Division I history to reach 700 wins. That kind of milestone doesn’t happen without a deep understanding of the game, a commitment to culture, and an ability to adapt year after year.
The Hall of Fame will announce its Class of 2026 on February 9. Whether this is the year Few finally gets the call remains to be seen, but make no mistake-his place in Springfield feels inevitable. He’s not just one of the winningest coaches of his generation; he’s one of the most influential, building a program that’s become synonymous with March Madness.
Whenever his name is officially etched into the Hall, it’ll be a long-overdue recognition of a coach who’s done more than win-he’s helped redefine what’s possible for a college basketball program outside the traditional power conferences.