Jack L Sutter

Jack Sutter has spent more than 70 years playing, coaching, and studying the game of basketball. He played D1 college basketball at Middle Tennessee State before embarking on a 22-year coaching career that took him from the high school gyms of Southern Illinois to the national stage at Oral Roberts University, where he served as assistant coach under Ken Trickey. During his time at ORU, the program produced three All-Americans, seven NBA draft picks, and reached the 1974 NCAA Elite Eight — one overtime away from the Final Four.

A native of Galatia, Illinois, Jack grew up playing on a dirt court and went on to coach on the floor of Madison Square Garden. He has personally watched or coached against nearly every player he has written about, giving his analysis a depth and authenticity that sets it apart from typical sports commentary.

Jack is the author of three books: two editions of The GOAT: The Quest to Find the Best — ranking the top 75 basketball players of all time using a 10-criteria framework he developed over decades — and Welcome to My World, a memoir that traces his journey from small-town Illinois to the highest levels of college basketball. His work has been praised by readers, coaches, and basketball historians alike.

He continues to write about the game he loves on his website, covering everything from NBA history and GOAT debates to college basketball and Illinois high school hoops.