John Jakus

John Jakus (born 1976 (age 45)) is an American basketball coach who is the current head coach of the Florida Atlantic Owls men's basketball team.

Early life
Jakus grew up in Johnsburg, Illinois. He attended Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois, where he received an undergraduate degree in religious studies in 1999, and later received a master's degree in sports management at Baylor University in 2014.

Coaching career
Jakus coached at Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy from 2004 to 2008, having a winning percentage of .810 in four years as head coach. He worked with the organization Athletes in Action (AIA) as a volunteer head coach for National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and professional trips from 2005 to 2008. In 2008, he volunteered as a head coach for AIA in a trip to Bulgaria.

Jakus became a full-time coach and director for AIA afterwards and also began coaching the team Agape Bulgaria. He also served as team chaplain with Agape Bulgaria. He served with the team through 2009, and in 2010 became the head coach and assistant general manager of ABA Strumica in Macedonia. He served in the position until 2011 and helped the team earn a promotion to the top division. He continued working with AIA through 2014.

Jakus returned to the U.S. in 2012 to care for his son, who was diagnosed with autism. He accepted a coaching position that year as graduate assistant for the Baylor Bears, remaining in the role for two seasons. He left the team following the 2013–14 season and became the director of basketball operations for the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Jakus served three seasons at Gonzaga and helped them reach the national championship in 2017. He returned to Baylor after the season to become an assistant coach. He was an assistant coach at Baylor for seven seasons, assisting as they won the national championship in 2021 and won Big 12 Conference titles in 2021 and 2022. Jakus was promoted to associate head coach prior to the 2022-23 season.

Jakus was named the head coach of the Florida Atlantic Owls on March 27, 2024.

Personal life
Jakus was born in Chicago, Illinois to John and Donna Jakus. He grew up in Johnsburg, Illinois and is the oldest of four children. John and his wife, Sara, have three children. John is a strong Christian, who started his basketball coaching career as a missionary.