Nevertheless, as people tried to process what was happening, another coach who also had a shocking retirement, Jay Wright, praised Bennett, saying, “Tony is one of the most talented and toughest coaches we have ever competed against. We always respected him and his teams at the highest level.”

The Virginia men's coach abruptly retired Thursday, leaving behind a legacy as the architect of one of the most improbable turnarounds in sports history.

Virginia men's basketball coach Tony Bennett is retiring effective immediately. The program said Thursday that Bennett will announce his retirement at a news conference Friday.