Summary: Tom Crean is a famous basketball coach who has dedicated his life to the sport. As a successful coach, he has earned a significant amount of wealth throughout his career. Currently, his estimated net worth is around $15 million, which places him among the most successful basketball coaches in the world.
1. Early Life and Career
Tom Crean was born on March 25th, 1966, in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. He grew up playing basketball and eventually went on to play for Central Michigan University. After graduating in 1989, he became an assistant coach at his alma mater, working under head coach Dan Majerle. During his time there, he helped lead the team to its first-ever NCAA tournament appearance in 1990.
A few years later, Crean joined the coaching staff at Michigan State University, where he worked for head coach Jud Heathcote. It was during this time that he met and married his wife, Joani Harbaugh, the sister of future NFL head coaches Jim and John Harbaugh.
Eventually, Crean would become the head coach at Marquette University in 1999. Over the next nine years, he led the Golden Eagles to five NCAA tournament appearances, including a trip to the Final Four in 2003. His success at Marquette made him a highly sought-after coach, and in 2008 he became the head coach at Indiana University.
2. Success at Indiana University
When Tom Crean arrived at Indiana University, he inherited a team that was struggling. The program had only one winning season in the previous eight years and was still dealing with the fallout from a scandal that had forced the resignation of previous coach Kelvin Sampson. Despite these challenges, Crean was determined to turn the program around.
It wasn’t easy, but over the next few years, Crean slowly began to rebuild Indiana into a competitive program. In 2012, the team won the Big Ten Conference championship and went on to earn a number four seed in the NCAA tournament. The following year, the Hoosiers reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament before falling to the Syracuse Orange.
Under Crean’s leadership, Indiana became one of the best programs in the country. He was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year twice (2012 and 2016) and led the Hoosiers to three outright Big Ten championships. Despite all of his success, Crean was fired after the 2016-17 season after failing to make the NCAA tournament for the second straight year.
3. Coaching Career After Indiana
After being fired from Indiana, Crean took some time off from coaching before eventually returning to the profession with the Georgia Bulldogs in 2018. Again, he inherited a struggling program and worked to turn it around. In his third year as head coach, the Bulldogs finished with a 14-12 record and reached the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament.
Throughout his career, Crean has demonstrated an ability to rebuild struggling programs and take them to new heights. His success at Marquette and Indiana earned him a reputation as one of the most talented coaches in the game. Today, he continues to build on that legacy at Georgia and remains one of the most respected coaches in college basketball.
Off the court, Crean is also known for his philanthropic work. He and his wife are deeply involved in a number of charitable organizations, including the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Coaches vs. Cancer.
4. Investments and Endorsements
While Tom Crean’s primary source of income is his coaching career, he has also made several investments and endorsements over the years. In 2014, he invested in a sports performance training center called Pinnacle Athletic Campus that is located near his hometown in Michigan.
In addition to his investments, Crean has also made money through various endorsement deals. He has worked with companies like Under Armour and Coca-Cola and has been featured in commercials for Best Buy and Lowe’s.
Crean’s success as a coach and his profile in the basketball world have made him an attractive partner for brands looking to reach sports fans. His endorsements and investments have helped to further increase his net worth over the years.
5. Real Estate and Personal Life
Tom Crean currently resides in Athens, Georgia, where he serves as the head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs. The family owns a property in Marquette, Michigan, which they purchased in 1999 while Crean was the head coach at Marquette University.
Crean is married to Joani Harbaugh, and they have three children together: Megan, Riley, and Ainsley. His wife’s family is deeply involved in football, with both of her brothers having successful careers as coaches in the NFL. Despite their different sports, the Crean and Harbaugh families have a deep respect for one another and often attend each other’s games and events.
As someone who has dedicated his life to basketball, Tom Crean has reached impressive heights in his career. His net worth of $15 million reflects his years of hard work and success. However, it’s clear that for Crean, the real reward comes not from his wealth, but from the satisfaction of knowing that he has made a positive impact on the lives of his players and those around him.
Conclusion:
Tom Crean is one of the most successful basketball coaches in the world, with a net worth of approximately $15 million. Throughout his career, he has earned this wealth through his coaching salary, investments, and endorsement deals. However, his success goes far beyond his finances. He has become known for his ability to rebuild struggling programs into competitive contenders and for his commitment to philanthropic work. Today, he continues to coach at Georgia and remains a respected figure in college basketball.