Driesell coached the Maryland Terrapins from 1969 to 1986. In 1974, he signed a can't miss prospect sure to dominate college basketball, 6' 10" center Moses Malone. Instead, Malone opted to join the ABA Utah Stars, becoming the first modern era player to proceed directly from high school into professional basketball; by the time he retired, he'd become a 16-time ABA and NBA All-Star, three-time NBA MVP, and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer. Among other top names during Driesell's Maryland tenure are NBA stars Tom McMillen, Len Elmore, John Lucas, Albert King, Buck Williams and Len Bias. Bias was regarded by many at the time of his draft by the Boston Celtics as potentially as great or greater than fellow ACC legend at rival University of North Carolina Michael Jordan, then emerging as an NBA sensation. He died tragically soon after the night of his selection.