Greg McDermott

Greg McDermott is an esteemed American basketball coach who currently holds the position of head coach of the Creighton Bluejays men’s basketball team. McDermott started out playing college basketball for the Northern Iowa Panthers from 1984 to 1988, before transitioning into a coaching career the following year.

Before arriving at Creighton, McDermott had already built an impressive coaching career. He started as an assistant coach at North Dakota in 1989 and helped lead the Fighting Sioux to five consecutive NCAA Division II tournaments. After a successful stint as head coach at Wayne State College, McDermott moved on to North Dakota State, where he led the Bison to a 15-11 record in his lone season. He then returned to his alma mater, Northern Iowa, and coached the Panthers to an impressive record of 90-63 over five seasons. During his time at Northern Iowa, McDermott helped the team win the Missouri Valley Conference tournament championship in 2004 and earn a staggering three consecutive NCAA tournament bids from 2004 to 2006. Arguably his most significant accomplishment to date, however, is leading the Creighton Bluejays to the NCAA tournament multiple times. This includes back-to-back appearances in 2012-2013 and 2013-2014, securing the team’s highest-ever seeding in the tournament.

McDermott’s success has earned him various accolades, including being named the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year twice and the Big East Conference Coach of the Year twice. His astute ability to build competitive teams and develop talented players — including his son Doug McDermott, who went on to play in the NBA — has made him one of the top coaches in the country. With tens of thousands of followers on Twitter, he is a well-respected figure and sought-after coach in the world of college basketball.