**Matt Painter Ranked No. 1 Coach at Xs and Os in CBS Sports Candid Coaches Survey**
WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue men’s basketball coach Matt Painter has long been known for his detailed and sometimes complex explanations of strategy and play design in postgame interviews. This knack for strategy has helped amplify Painter’s national reputation as a top-tier tactician—not just among the media, but also among his coaching peers.
A recent CBS Sports candid coaches survey polled roughly 100 college basketball coaches to determine who is the nation’s best at Xs and Os. Painter earned the largest share of the vote, capturing 19% and edging out UConn’s Dan Hurley, who received 18%. Creighton’s Greg McDermott followed closely behind with 16%—the only other coach to garner more than 7% of the votes.
Painter and Hurley notably faced off in the 2024 national championship game, where Hurley’s Huskies defeated Purdue 75-60 to repeat as champions.
Voters praised Painter for his ability to scheme Purdue to victory even when faced with talent disparities. They also highlighted how he has elevated the games of unheralded recruits like Braden Smith and Zach Edey.
One anonymous coach said, “When he has a dynamic playmaker, his sets are almost impossible to stop. Then he has a ton of counters. You think you know what’s coming, then he flops it. Then he flips the flop. You gotta turn them over, ’cause you can’t get enough misses.”
In other recent CBS Sports candid coaches features, Purdue was also selected as the nation’s best team for the 2025-26 season, and Braden Smith was named the nation’s best player.
Matt Painter’s strategic prowess continues to earn him high praise, solidifying his status as one of college basketball’s elite coaches.
https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/purdue/2025/10/01/purdue-basketball-coach-matt-painter-best-xs-os-survey-candid-coaches/86459005007/