Story Links
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) announced that James Jones, the Joel E. Smilow ’54 Head Coach of Men’s Basketball, is one of nine coaches that has been appointed to the NABC Board of Directors.
“I’m honored to have been selected to join the NABC Board of Directors,” said Jones. “The NABC does such great work in helping facilitate college basketball and I’m looking forward to joining the organization.”
The NABC Board of Directors is the NABC’s top leadership body, providing strategic oversight of the association’s daily operations and advocacy work. The Board’s composition includes representatives from all three NCAA divisions, along with the NAIA, two-year college and high school levels.
“As college athletics and the game of basketball undergo unprecedented transformation, it’s vital that coaches continue to present a unified voice and demonstrate sound national leadership,” said NABC Executive Director Craig Robinson. “These nine coaches were identified by their peers as ideal candidates to represent our over 5,000 members on the NABC Board of Directors, and their diverse perspectives will strengthen the NABC’s efforts to support the profession and grow the sport.
In addition to Jones, joining the NABC Board of Directors in 2025-26 as new members are: Baylor head coach Scott Drew, North Georgia head coach Dan Evans, Pomona-Pitzer head coach Charles Katsiaficas, Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay, Kentucky head coach Mark Pope, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer, Notre Dame head coach Micah Shrewsberry, and Illinois head coach Brad Underwood.
Jones, the all-time winningest men’s basketball coach at Yale and one of the most successful coaches in Ivy League history, enters his 27th season at the helm in 2025-26. Most recently, he guided the Bulldogs through a historic season, finishing with a 22-8 overall record and a dominant 13-1 mark in league play. Yale also had the longest active winning streak in the nation at 13 games and finished the season undefeated at home (11-0).
He is also is the longest-tenured coach in the league and has guided Yale to seven Ivy League championships, four Ivy League Tournament titles, five NCAA Tournament berths, and nine postseason appearances. The Bulldogs have also won at least 10 Ivy games 10 times during his tenure and have finished fourth place or better in the league for a remarkable 24 straight years.
About the National Association of Basketball Coaches
Located in Kansas City, MO, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Forrest “Phog” Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently has nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men’s basketball coaches. All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today’s student-athletes. The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education. Additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, can be found at www.nabc.org.