For the first time in his coaching career, Rick Barnes is on the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame ballot.
The Tennessee head coach, who is in his ninth season leading the Vols' program, was one of 15 first-time nominees on Thursday.
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Barnes is currently in his 44th season as a college basketball coach and 37th as a head coach.
Between head coaching stints at George Mason, Providence, Clemson, Texas and Tennessee, Barnes has totaled 787 wins, which places him 15th all-time among Division I coaches and second among active coaches.
He is one of 24 coaches to win 100 or more wins at three different programs and he joins John Calipari, Frank McGuire, Bruce Pearl, Rick Pitino, Eddie Sutton and Roy Williams as the only coaches to lead multiple programs to an Associated Press No. 1 ranking.
Barnes has 27 career NCAA Tournament appearances, tied for fifth-most all-time. He has led Tennessee to the tournament for five-straight seasons, including two Sweet 16 berths. He previously guided Texas and Clemson to the Sweet 16.
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Barnes' accomplishments also include four conference regular season championships and two conference tournament titles, including the 2022 SEC Tournament crown, the program's first in more than 40 years.
He has coached 50 players that have reached the NBA, as well was 38 draft selections and 22 first-round picks, 10 lottery picks, eight top-10 picks and two No. 2 overall picks.
Barnes, who played his college basketball at Lenoir-Rhyne in North Carolina, began his coaching career at North State Academy as an assistant coach in 1977. He had assistant coaching stints at Davidson, George Mason, Alabama and Ohio State before his getting his first head-coaching job at George Mason in 1987.
"I feel incredibly blessed to be nominated for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the pinnacle of our sport," Barnes said in a press release. "This distinction, though, not just about me, but more all the wonderful people who have impacted me throughout my coaching journey for the last four-plus decades. I want to thank every coach, staff member, administrator, fan and friend who has supported me and the programs I've had the joy of working for.
"But most of all, I want to thank the players I've had the privilege of coaching, as well as my family for their unconditional love and for keeping me focused on the Lord and living for the glory of His kingdom."
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