3. Lon Kruger
Kruger is a phenomenal college coach. He’s one of only two men to lead five programs to the NCAA tournament. That’s an outrageous record. However, his one and only tenure as a professional team coach ended in disaster. Kruger spent three seasons in charge of the Atlanta Hawks and they didn’t go well.
He had some room in his first two seasons to rebuild the team. Results weren’t as important as a sense that the team was progressing on and off the court. By the third season with a record of 58-106, he was under more pressure. So he promised fans a refund of $125 each if they failed to make the playoffs. An 11-16 start to the season saw him fired.