Steve Lappas, born on March 18, 1954, in New York City, is a former American college basketball coach and current analyst for CBS Sports. He began his coaching career at Harry S. Truman High School in the Bronx, leading the team to a New York State Class A championship in the 1983–84 season and earning New York Daily News Coach of the Year honors twice.
Lappas served as head coach at Manhattan College from 1988 to 1992, where he revitalized the program, guiding them to a 25–9 record and a berth in the third round of the NIT. He then moved to Villanova University, coaching from 1992 to 2001.
During his tenure, he led the Wildcats to seven postseason appearances, including four NCAA tournaments and winning the 1994 National Invitation Tournament. Lappas also coached nine NBA players, such as Rod Strickland and Kerry Kittles.
From 2001 to 2005, Lappas was the head coach at the University of Massachusetts (UMass). After leaving UMass, he joined CBS Sports Network in 2005 as a college basketball analyst, providing both game and studio analysis, including coverage of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship since 2015.
In a recent interview, Lappas discussed the dynamics between coaches Rick Pitino and John Calipari, noting that their relationship “went sideways” long ago.
For more insights from Steve Lappas, you might find this interview informative: