Tom Crean out as UGA men’s head basketball coach
AUBURN, AL - JANUARY 19: Head coach Tom Crean of the Georgia Bulldogs watches on during the first half against the Auburn Tigers at Auburn Arena on January 19, 2022 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
ATHENS, Ga. - After four seasons, Tom Crean is out as Georgia’s men’s basketball coach.
In a news release Thursday afternoon, the university announced Crean will not return for his fifth season as the Bulldogs’ head coach.
In the release, UGA Athletics Director Josh Brooks said, "Tom Crean demonstrated unquestionable effort and enthusiasm in what he has attempted to accomplish at Georgia. That said, our expectation is to compete for post-season success in all 21 sports. We believe a leadership change in men’s basketball is needed to achieve our goals."
The announcement comes the day after Georgia was bounced by Vanderbilt 86-51 in the first round of the SEC Basketball Tournament.
The loss ends a dismal season for Georgia with the Dawgs finishing 6-26 overall and a 1-17 league record.
Crean compiled a 47-75 overall record in his 4 seasons in Athens, including a 15-57 SEC record.
The change comes after a promising start to the Crean regime with Georgia breaking their all-time attendance record in each of his first 2 years.
Crean signed six top-100 prospects during his first full recruiting cycle in 2019, including the nation’s top recruit, Anthony Edwards of Holy Spirit Prep School in Atlanta.
Georgia Bulldogs coach Tom Crean calls out directions to his players during the first half of a college basketball game between the South Carolina Gamecocks and Georgia Bulldogs at Stegeman Coliseum on Saturday, February 12, 2022 in Athens, GA. (Phot
Edwards left after earning SEC Freshman of the Year honors in 2020 to become the number 1 pick in the NBA Draft.
But in the past 2 seasons, a number of players recruited by Crean transferred, including all the players signed in the nationally ranked 2019 class besides Edwards.
According to the release, a national search for Georgia’s next head men’s basketball coach will begin immediately.
A number of former Georgia players have posted their support this week for former UGA player and assistant coach Jonas Hayes who is currently an assistant at Xavier. Hayes has never been a head coach.
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