This guy was an incredible human being and good man and mentor. However, his coaching was not stellar in my opinion. He did have some incredible moments (see 1983), but overall he was no better than average of a coach. He gets high ratings because of his cancer.

Big heart average coach

Very good coach and from everyone says even a better person. Sad he died the deathe he did. With all that said he didn't have the longevity or success to rate him ahead of the likes of Dean Smith or Coach K.

a hero if there ever was one

Awesome...

My Dad, brother and I met him at a dinner in Syracuse in 1982 (I think) while he was coach at Iona (Jeff Ruland played for him) and what a speaker! He was even funnier yakking over a few drinks, the guy could really hold court. When he went to NC State, we thought he might be over his head, Iona wasn't that strong a program and seemed to reach its highwater mark under him. When he won the national championship, against the prohibitive favorite Phi Slamma Jamma U/Houston team (featuring Clyde Drexler, Akeem Olajuwon, and several additional future NBAers) we (along with the entire college basketball world) were stunned. Watching him aimlessly run up and down the court from one group of Wolfpack revellers to another, looking for someone to hug and dance with, was an added treat. Gone too soon, rest in peace, Jimmy.

He Was A Great Guy...not the best coach ever.......

I started watching basketball because of the 1983 Wolfpack. This was surely the 'Miracle on the Hardwood'. Rest In Peace, Jimmy V!

May not have had the best won-loss record but he got the most he could out of his teams, He was a great motivator and imaginative Xs and Os coach.