More Than Just A Recruiter
Justin W. Brantley • March 9, 2020
The Away Team Sports “Elite 8” Black NCAA D1 Assistant Coaches
Death, taxes, and black coaches being pigeonholed as “recruiters” in NCAA Basketball: three things that we’ve grown to know, expect and accept. A quick internet search will yield countless results of people complaining about each of the above facts of life. The lack of diversity and inclusion in NCAA Division 1 Men’s Head Basketball Coaching positions is glaringly obvious and often times I wonder why we can annually acknowledge the existence of the problem (typically during Black History Month), but not rectify or remedy it with solutions? I could write this post complaining about misconceptions associated with black men in the industry, but I’m choosing a different route. I could write paragraphs highlighting the hypocritical nature of the career trajectory for white collegiate basketball coaches tabbed as “Elite Recruiters” vs. that of their black counterparts, but I have a desire to be solution oriented. I could write this post from a statistical/analytic perspective highlighting the fact that although black men account for nearly 80% of scholarship players in the major basketball conferences, 83.7% of “All-League” award winners and 86.7% of last year’s “All-Americans”, yet only account for 22.9% of Head Coaching positions in those same conferences. And although Black Coaches hold only 29.2% of NCAA Division 1 Basketball Head Coaching roles, they accounted for 34% of the regular season conference championships in 2019/2020 (AAC, A10, ACC, ASUN, Big Sky, Big South, Ivy, MAC West, MEAC, SWAC, and Sun Belt). Nope, I’m not going to do that either. What I am going to do is attempt to strip away some of the negative connotations associated with being deemed an “Elite Recruiter.”
Recruiting is not only a component of being a good coach at the collegiate level, it is also an extremely necessary skillset. If you can’t convince the top players that your school is the best fit for them, you will have a hard time competing at a high level. Recruiting requires relationship building, the ability to evaluate/identify talent and the ability to convert those prospective student-athletes into members of your team. That very same skillset is in high demand in Corporate America. Calling talented young black men “Recruiters” and diminishing their impact and the value they bring to the table is the equivalent of the ban on dunking in NCAA Basketball after the 1967 season when Lew Alcindor’s (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) year of dominance signified a shift in the way the game would be played and then creating the 3 point line in 1979 in an attempt to create parity and balance. In my life I’ve seen the proverbial “goal posts” moved to even the playing field and now I can say the same thing for the 3-point line!
So, how do we create change? That’s a question I’ve often pondered. For years, I’ve downplayed my ability to make an impact. “What can I do?” I would ask myself. This year, I have decided to stop asking myself existential questions and although I can’t hire the black coaches I see doing an amazing job, what I can do is provide acknowledgment of the ones who would be at the top of my list if I were making that decision. The following 8 men have consistently demonstrated that; although they are phenomenal recruiters, their value far exceeds their ability to bring in elite talent. They bring a winning mentality, success and leadership at such a high level that they should be undeniable for any Athletic Director and search firm looking to fill Division 1 Head Coaching Vacancies for the 2020/2021 Season. In an era of social currency, self-promoting and laser focus on the future vs. embracing your current assignment, stands a group of men who are engaged and focused on the next game on their schedule rather than the next potential job opportunity. This is why, among many other reasons, these men behind the curtain are my picks for openings that will arise following the 2019/2020 season. I have not directly asked any of them if they are looking for a promotion, but during my college basketball evaluations this season these were the men that stood out to me the most.
(In Order of their teams Associated Press Week 18 ranking)
Anthony Solomon (Associate Head Coach - University of Dayton)
- 3 years
Why Coach Solomon?
- AP #3
- 29-2 Record
- Regular Season A10 Champions (18-0)
- Former Division 1 Head Coach
- 3 Elite 8 Appearances as a coach
- Final Four Appearance as a player
- 8 Championships
- 15 NBA Pro’s Coached
Why Coach Solomon?
Who would have thought that Dayton basketball would be ranked #3 in the country, a potential 1 seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament, and would have arguably the best player in the country on their roster? In his most recent stint at The University of Dayton, Coach Solomon has played a pivotal role in what has been called “The Greatest Season in Dayton Basketball History!” Coach Anthony Solomon is a winner who has achieved "Three Levels" of collegiate success: as a player, a coach and as an administrator. He is a husband, father and servant leader that has a long track record of recruiting and developing elite basketball players.
As a player at The University of Virginia he made three NCAA Tournament appearances, earned one NIT berth and won 78 total games. Solomon was a member of the 1984 team that advanced to the NCAA Final Four. Coach Solomon is widely regarded as one of the most-respected assistant coaches in the game, and over his 30+ years of college coaching experience his resume speaks for itself. When discussing Assistant Coaches who should receive the opportunity to lead their own programs, Coach Anthony Solomon's name should be at the forefront of the conversation. Not many people have achieved the level of success he has at the High Major level and also have Head Coaching and Administrative experience. He has been known to orchestrate the turnaround/resurgence of programs and anyone looking for a new coach in 2020 will more than likely be facing a "rebuilding" period within their program!
Click here
to learn more about Coach Anthony Solomon.
Jerome Tang (Associate Head Coach- Baylor University) - 17 years
- AP #4
- 27-3 Record
- 8 NCAA Tournament Appearances
- 4 Sweet Sixteen Appearances
- 2 Elite 8 Appearances
- 1 NIT Championship
- 8 Twenty-win seasons out of the last 9
- 7 Top 25 Recruiting Classes
- 9 NBA Pro’s Coached
Why Coach Tang?
When I think of Coach Jerome Tang, the first word that comes to mind is, CONSISTENCY! All 17 of his years in collegiate coaching have been at Baylor University (14 as an assistant and 3 as Associate Head Coach). Jerome is Baylor Basketball. Prior to his arrival in Waco, Texas, the Bears had only been to the NCAA tournament 4 times in their 97 year history. 300 plus wins later, Coach Tang is still on the Baylor sidelines preparing his young men for success and requiring nothing less than the best that they have to give. This year they will make their 8th appearance in the NCAA tournament with him on the staff! Winning is a part of his DNA! Prior to collegiate coaching he led Heritage Christian to 4 State Championships. Jerome Tang is a devoted husband and father who has demonstrated the ability to recruit, develop, coach and nurture young men. Nearly two decades of coaching experience in the Big 12 have certainly prepared Coach Tang to take the helm of any program in need of a new direction!
Click here
to learn more about Coach Jerome Tang.
Charlton “C.Y.” Young (Assistant Coach- Florida State University) - 7 years
- AP #7
- 25 Seasons as a collegiate coach
- 3 NCAA Tournament Appearances
- 2 Sweet 16 Appearances
- 1 Elite 8 Appearance
- Former Division 1 Head Coach
- 4 Top-10 Recruiting Classes
- FSU Record 29 wins in 2018/2019
Known in the basketball business as “C.Y.”, there’s not a person in the industry that doesn’t know and respect Coach Charlton Young. Known for his exceptional ability to recruit and develop the nation’s best talent, Coach has demonstrated success as a Head Coach, Assistant Coach and Player. C.Y. had a legendary Hall of Fame career at Georgia Southern and has shown that he is ready, willing and able to show young men the blueprint. It only makes sense that a former McDonald’s All American would be able to recruit and mentor the best young talent in the country. Coach Young and his wife have four children who all love the game of basketball like their parents. His two daughters are elite level basketball players and these proud parents are looking to see their sons’ progress and development in years to come, as well.
Florida State has been on a meteoric rise since C.Y.’s arrival in Tallahassee. The Seminole’s have tallied 20+ wins in 6 of the 7 season’s that Coach Young has been on the staff. Including the school record season of 29-8 in 2018/2019. This season they achieved their first ever Regular Season ACC conference title. Any University looking to attract the next group of future NBA players and add numbers to the win’s category should take a close look at Coach Charlton Young.
Click here
to learn more about Coach Charlton "C.Y." Young.
Dwayne Stephens (Associate Head Coach - Michigan State University) - 16 years
- AP #16
- 18 Straight NCAA Tournament Appearances
- 10 Sweet 16 Appearances
- 7 Elite 8 Appearances
- 6 Final Four Appearances
- During his tenure MSU has led the Big Ten in rebounding 8x and led the Nation 4x
- 8 Spartans selected in the last 7 NBA Drafts
Why Coach Stephens?
Coach Dwayne Stephens’ success goes back to his days as an assistant for Tom Crean at Marquette. He was instrumental in taking them to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments in 2002/2003 and the Final Four in 2003. Dwyane Wade was a two-time all-league performer and earned AP First-Team All-America honors under his tutelage. In his 16 years at his alma matter, Coach Stephens has made the NCAA tournament every year. This season he helped lead the Spartans to their 6th Big Ten Regular Season title. Coach Stephens is synonymous with winning, NCAA Tournament Appearances and NBA Prospects. You’d be hard pressed to find an assistant coach with more wins to his credit.
Coach Stephens is originally from Michigan and is a devoted husband and father of 3. A strong example and model for our future leaders. Although all of his coaching experience is in the Midwest, his reach and relationships span all over the country. His resume speaks for itself and it speaks loudly!
Click here
to learn more about Coach Dwayne Stephens.
Saddi Washington (Assistant Coach - University of Michigan) - 4 years
- AP #25
- 5 NCAA Tournament Appearances
- 3 Straight Sweet 16 Appearances
- 1 Final Four Appearance
- 2 Big 10 Tournament Titles
- Michigan Record 33 wins in 2017/2018
- Former Associate Head Coach at Oakland University
Why Coach Washington?
Saddi Washington has been a college coach for nearly 15 years. A rising star in the industry, Saddi has been instrumental in the success of the Oakland University & University of Michigan programs. In his four years at Michigan he has amassed 108 wins (average of 27/season). Washington helped the Golden Grizzlies to 198 wins, with five 20-plus win seasons. Oakland made back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament (2010, '11) after winning two straight Summit League regular season and conference tournament titles.
During his tenure, Washington created a reputation for developing some of the top mid-major players in the country. Five of his players have led the country in a statistical category. One of the things I find impressive about Coach Washington’s career is that his success didn’t stall as he increased in level. He has shown that he can coach at any level and achieve results. The husband and father of two is a great example to our young men that success takes work! His coaching career began as a high school volunteer assistant and now he is regarded as one of the best young assistant coaches in all of college basketball.
Click here
to learn more about Coach Saddi Washington.
Jason Hart (Assistant Coach - University of Southern California) - 7 years
As a Player
- Left Syracuse as the All-Time leader in Steals and 2nd All-Time in Assists.
- 3 NCAA Tournament Appearances
- 2 Sweet 16 Appearances
As a Coach
- 2 NCAA Tournament Appearances
- 1 NIT Appearance
Why Coach Hart?
Coach Hart has been an integral part of the Trojans’ turnaround. The future is bright in Southern California with the young talent that’s on campus. Back-to-back top 20 recruiting classes have the Trojans primed for success. Jason Hart is one of the quickly rising stars in the ranks. He has worked hard to position himself amongst the elite. As I watch him coach, the passion jumps off the screen and makes you want to play for him. The Trojans finished the regular season 22-9 and 14-2 at home.
One of the things that he brings to the table is his on the court success as a player. Prior to entering coaching, Jason had a phenomenal career at Syracuse. He finished his career there as the All-Time leader in steals and the 2nd All-Time leader in assists. He had 3 NCAA appearances and 2 Sweet 16’s. He went on to a 9-year playing career in the NBA. Coach Hart’s experience and success at all levels can be motivational, inspirational and educational for prospective student athletes and make him a solid choice for a Head Coaching opportunity.
Click here
to learn more about Coach Jason Hart.
Karl Hobbs (Assistant Coach - Rutgers University) - 4 years
- 32 Years College Coaching Experience
- 18 Post-Season Appearances
- 6 Sweet 16 Appearances
- 4 Elite 8 Appearances
- 2 Final Four Appearances
- 2 Time National Champion
- Former A10 Coach of the Year
- Former Division 1 Head Coach
Why Coach Hobbs?
Coach Karl Hobbs has been to the college basketball mountain-top! Twice in his career, Coach Hobbs finished the season cutting down the nets as a National Champion. Over his 3 decades of coaching experience he has demonstrated an ability to consistently win and has produced wins in multiple high major settings. Coach Hobbs has been an integral part of the turnaround in New Jersey. Rutgers Men’s basketball finished the regular season 20-11 this year with an extremely impressive record of 18-1 at home (including upsets of Seton Hall, Penn State, Illinois & Maryland).
During his stint as the Head Coach at George Washington University, he accomplished something that has only been achieved by 3 other coaches in history - an undefeated A10 season! He has demonstrated that he can lead a program and generate the type of results that most can only dream about. Coach Hobbs’ success is not limited to the coaching side of the business. As a player he was a four-year starting point guard and All-Big East selection as a senior at UConn (1980-84). He led the team in assists all four years and ranks sixth all-time with 534.He’s known for his exceptional recruiting, scouting and player development and has worked with several pro’s including Hall of Famer Ray Allen. Coach Hobbs is a husband and father of two daughters who has been, not only a great mentor for the young men he coached, but also for the assistant coaches he has worked with. 5 of the coaches on his staff at George Washington went on to become head coaches as well. Coach Karl Hobbs would be an excellent choice to build a program and not only develop players but also develop young coaching talent.
Click here
to learn about Coach Karl Hobbs.
TJ Cleveland (Assistant Coach - St. John's University) - 1 year
- 7 NCAA Tournament Appearances
- 1 Sweet 16 Appearance
- 1 Elite 8 Appearance
- 2 Top 25 Recruiting Classes
- Coached 9 NBA Players
Why Coach Cleveland?
Defense wins championships. Given time, Coach TJ Cleveland will deliver championships wherever he is at. He has assembled elite recruiting classes over the years in high major programs and in 14 of his 17 seasons as a collegiate coach, his teams have finished top 3 in steals. In 4 of those seasons, his teams led the nation in steals. During Cleveland's tenure at Missouri, the Tigers ranked second in the NCAA in turnover margin for three straight seasons. He’s mentored and developed multiple NBA players and continues to bring out the best in those around him. NYC is excited about the staff at St. John’s and probably won’t be happy to read me writing about the possibility of him being a head coach elsewhere. Although the record isn’t indicative of the capabilities of Coach Cleveland and the Red Storm, there were some extremely bright spots this season. Most notably wins over West Virginia, Arizona, Creighton, and Marquette. The other thing that stands out to me about this season is 6 of their losses were by 5 points or less. For the most part they were in every game.
Coach Cleveland’s success has not been limited to the coaching side of things. The husband and father of two also starred as a player. He helped navigate Arkansas to the 2000 SEC title (the only one in program history). TJ made three NCAA Tournament appearances as a player and currently ranks fifth on the program's all-time steals list. Universities looking to make a splash with a young up and coming coach should look closely in his direction. His experience and success coaching future NBA level talent will surely command the attention and respect of the next generation of prospective student athletes.
Click here
to learn about Coach TJ Cleveland.
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