When “Tark” arrived at UNLV in 1973, its men’s basketball squad was a relative unknown playing in the 6,500-seat Las Vegas Convention Center. Nearly 20 years later, he’d won 80% of his games, led the Rebels to the 1990 national championship and four Final Four appearances and moved the program into the 18,500-seat Thomas & Mack Center, building his program into the hottest ticket in town. Hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/jerry-tarkanian.

Runner-up: Gerard Gallant