Not so much.

Told last week that his name had been tossed around as a potential head coach at Alabama, which recently fired Mike Gottfried, McDyess laughed out loud.

"Me? Coaching? That ain't gonna happen," said McDyess, who played two seasons for the Crimson Tide before becoming the No. 2 overall pick in the 1995 draft. "That was funny to me when I heard that."

There are plenty of active NBA players who smile when their names are mentioned as potential coaches - and not because they find the notion amusing.

Here are five players we think may very well wind up coaching their own NBA teams in the future:

Jacque Vaughn, Spurs

Vaughn has been a virtual assistant coach for the Spurs this season, mentoring rookie George Hill. That he is selfless enough to help the player who supplanted him as Tony Parker's primary backup proves he understands the team concept. That he has played for both Gregg Popovich and Jerry Sloan ought to be enough to convince anyone that he has had opportunity to learn what works for a head coach. He also has played for some coaches who showed him what doesn't work.

Steve Nash, Suns

Nash has one of the best offensive minds in the game - on the bench or on the court. He would need a strong defensive coach beside him - a Tom Thibodeau type - and a point guard who reminds him of himself, but his teams would be fun to watch. Being an MVP carries with it a built-in respect factor.

Sam Cassell, Celtics

Cassell already is a bench coach for the Celtics because he rarely plays. He finished second in a preseason GM poll about players best suited to be head coaches (behind Eric Snow, now retired), so actual NBA experts think he is on a coaching-career path. His upbeat personality and sense of humor would serve him well.

Derek Fisher, Lakers

His teammates call Fisher their "glue guy" in the locker room. Being able to hold together a group made up of guys who sometimes have individual agendas is Job No. 1 for any head coach. Plus, Fisher is a smart player who has played under two coaching masters, Phil Jackson and Jerry Sloan.

Kurt Thomas, Spurs

We know this list is point guard-heavy, but that is because point guards are coaches on the floor. Thomas is a big man with leadership qualities as clearly defined as any smaller fellow. He understands the importance of post play and physical defense. He already has been a player-assistant coach, during an injury-plagued season with the Mavericks. Besides, there's nothing wrong with having a coach big enough to frighten any player.