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ASSOCIATE HEAD COACHES

Jerome Tang (Baylor University) - 18 years

2021 BIG 12 CHAMPIONS

AP #3

21-1 Record (13-1 BIG 12)

8 NCAA Tournament Appearances

4 Sweet Sixteen Appearances

2 Elite 8 Appearances

1 NIT Championship

8 Twenty-win seasons out of the last 9

9 NBA Pro’s Coached

Why Coach Tang?

Coach Tang is a LEADER! Although it’s hard to imagine him not on the sidelines for the Bears, (all 18 of his years in collegiate coaching have been at Baylor University; 4 as an assistant and 4 as Associate Head Coach), Jerome Tang is the stabilizing figure that rebuilding programs will want and need. This year, Coach Tang helped Baylor reach their first ever Big 12 Championship and has them on the cusp of their 9^th 20-win season in the last 10 years. 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! (Would have been his 9^th if the NCAA Tournament wasn’t cancelled last year.) Tang helped Baylor to arguably the best season in program history in 2019-20, posting a 26-4 record and spending five consecutive weeks ranked No. 1 nationally, which was the longest streak by any team since Kentucky in 2015. The Bears set a Big 12 Conference record with a 23-game winning streak and were projected to earn an NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed before the postseason was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All five of Baylor’s starters were named All-Big 12, the first time any team has done so in the league’s 24-year history. Winning is a part of his DNA! 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!

Larry Harrison (West Virginia University) - 14 years

AP #6

18-8 Record (11-6 BIG 12)

15 NCAA Tournament Appearances

8 Sweet Sixteen Appearances

4 Elite 8 Appearances

2 Final Four Appearances

15 Twenty-win seasons

10 NBA Pro’s Coached

Why Coach Harrison?

The first word that pops in my head when I think about Larry Harrison is EXPERIENCE!

This is his 14th season on the Mountaineer basketball staff and 11th as associate head coach. Coach Harrison has over 30 years of coaching experience including 6 years as the Head Coach at Hartford (2000-06) where earned “America East Coach” of the Year in 2006. He led Hartford to a third-place conference finish in 2002, 2003 and 2006 and semifinals of the conference tournament in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Hartford had the nation’s second-best total win increase from 2001 to 2002 with four wins in 2001 to 14 wins in 2002. Coach Harrison has also spent time in the NBA, working for the Washington Wizards as a scout in 2006-07. Since 1989, Harrison’s teams have earned 15 bids to the NCAA Tournament and three NIT bids.

Coach Harrison has won at every stop along his coaching journey! While at Cincinnati, he advanced to the Final Four once (1992) and Elite Eight twice (1993, 1996). Since arriving at West Virginia, they’ve won the 2010 Big East Championship and advanced to nine NCAA Tournaments, including the 2010 Final Four and five NCAA Sweet 16s. For a program looking to bring in an experienced coach, Larry Harrison checks off all of the boxes. Head Coaching experience, High Major success, Ability to recruit Elite Level talent, and ability to develop players from potential to pro’s!

David Patrick (University of Arkansas) – 1^st Year

AP #12

21-5 Record (13-4)

4 NCAA Tournament Appearances

1 Sweet Sixteen Appearances

1 NIT Championship (TCU 2017)

5 Twenty-win seasons

Why Coach Patrick?

Prior to his arrival in Fayetteville, David Patrick was one of the hottest young head coaches in the country! He took over as Head Coach of the University of California Riverside in 2018 and had immediate success. He inherited a program that had 1 winning season (2008-09) since moving to the Division 1 level in 2001. In his first season the Highlanders broke several program records including 279 made three-point shots and a .379 three-point shooting percentage which was the best in the Big West Conference and top 30 (28th) in the nation. In 2019-20 UC Riverside won 17 games which is tied for the most in school history as a Division 1 participant. The team finished 8th Nationally in Scoring Defense 60.6 points per game and 1st in the Big West. The season was cut short due to Covid-19. In his two years at UC Riverside, Patrick currently holds the best 2-year start in school history. On July 1, 2020, Coach Patrick joined the staff of Eric Musselman as the Associate Head Coach at Arkansas. In the year prior to Patrick’s arrival the Razorbacks were 20-12 (7-11 in SEC play), currently they are ranked #12 in the country with a 20-5 (12-4 in SEC play) with one game left in the regular season!

This isn’t his first taste of success as an assistant coach. Coach Patrick has been instrumental in the growth of each program he’s been at along his journey. In 2006 he joined Saint Mary’s College (CA) staff as an assistant. In four seasons at St Mary's the team went 98-35 and reached the NCAA Tournament twice, including a 2010 NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. In 2012 he joined the staff at LSU. Coach Patrick spent four seasons at LSU where the team went 80-51 including an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2015. After four seasons at LSU, Patrick joined Jamie Dixon's staff at TCU in 2016.  In 2017 they were NIT Champions for the First time in school history and in 2018 the school reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 20 years.

It’s clear to see that David Patrick has the ability to orchestrate quick turnarounds of programs which is a necessary task for a Head Coach stepping into a situation where they have previously under-performed. The question shouldn’t be, “Is Coach Patrick ready for another Head Coaching opportunity?” It should be; “Is there an opportunity out there intriguing enough to make him willing to leave the Razorbacks?”

Jason Williford (University of Virginia) – 12 Years

AP #21

17-6 Record (13-4 ACC)

10 NCAA Tournament Appearances

3 Sweet Sixteen Appearances

2 Elite 8 Appearances

1 Final Four

1 NCAA Championship (2019)

9 “Twenty-win” seasons

4 “Thirty-win” seasons

4 ACC Regular Season Championships

2 ACC Tournament Championships

Why Coach Williford?

The winning tradition of the program during Coach Williford’s tenure at University of Virginia has been the definition of success and consistency! The Cavaliers have had 9 straight seasons with at least 22 wins (4 “30+ win” seasons), made the NCAA Tournament 7 times, achieved 5 Regular Season ACC Championships and 2 ACC Conference Tournament Championships. They have led the nation in scoring defense six times (2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) and have a National Championship to their credit.

Coach Williford was an assistant coach at American University for four years before coming home to his alma-mater University of Virginia and prior to that an assistant coach at Boston University for five years. American won the Patriot League Championship and participated in the NCAA Tournament in each of his last two seasons with the program. During Williford’s final four years at Boston University, the Terriers earned an NCAA Tournament berth in 2002 and then participated in the National Invitation Tournament for three consecutive years. Coach Williford’s resume demonstrates over 2 decades of success, consistency and impact. It’s also noteworthy that he has experience in high academic settings.

Chester Frazier (Virginia Tech University) – 2nd Year

AP #22

15-5 Record (9-4 ACC)

5 NCAA Tournament Appearances

1 Sweet Sixteen Appearances

1 “Elite 8” Appearances

5 “Twenty-win” seasons

2 Big 12 Regular Season Championships

Why Coach Frazier?

Coach Chester Frazier is known for his player development. He has done a phenomenal job and played an instrumental role in the success of the players & programs that he’s worked with. Prior to arriving in Blacksburg; Frazier coached for seven seasons at Kansas State under head coach Bruce Weber and played a pivotal role in one of the best stretches (2012-19) in K-State history, which included 150 wins, two Big 12 regular-season championships (2013 and 2019) and five NCAA Tournament appearances (2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019). He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Illinois. Coach Frazier has had a phenomenal start to his coaching resume and is a great candidate for a University looking for a young, energetic coach to come in and perform a “rebuild.” His ability to get the most out of his players will allow him to build a strong program for years to come given the opportunity.

Micah Shrewsberry (Purdue University) – 2nd Year

AP #23

18-8 Record (13-6 Big 10)

5 NCAA Tournament Appearances

2 Sweet Sixteen Appearances

2 “Elite 8” Appearances

2 Final Four Appearances

5 “Twenty-win” seasons

4 Horizon League Regular Season Championships

2 Horizon League Conference Tournament Championships

Why Coach Shrewsberry?

Considered by many as one of the top young coaches in America, Coach Shrewsberry has demonstrated success at every level! Last season, Shrewsberry took over the role as offensive coordinator for the Boilermakers and despite losing three starters, still ranked in the top 50 of offensive efficiency. The Boilermakers finished the season seventh in school history in fewest turnovers per game and posted five wins over nationally-ranked teams.
 
His previous six seasons were spent in the NBA as an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics under head coach Brad Stevens. He helped the Celtics to the playoffs in each of the last five seasons, including trips to the Eastern Conference finals in 2017 and 2018. Under Shrewsberry, the Celtics’ offense was one of the best in the NBA this past season, ranking sixth in the league in 3-pointers made and seventh in 3-point percentage. In 2018-19, Boston was second in the league behind NBA champion Golden State in 3-point percentage.
 
Prior to leaving to join the Celtics, Shrewsberry helped the Boilermakers to the second round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament. Prior to his time at Purdue, he spent four seasons at Butler under Stevens, he helped the Bulldogs to the 2010 and 2011 national championship games. During his college coaching career Coach Shrewsberry had a 5-year run of 25+ win seasons (2007-2012) and has demonstrated an ability to win at the Mid-Major, High Major & NBA levels.

Tony Stubblefield (University of Oregon) – 11^th Year

19-5 Record (14-4 Pac 12)

6 NCAA Tournament Appearances

4 Sweet Sixteen Appearances

2 “Elite 8” Appearances

1 Final Four Appearance

11 “Twenty-win” seasons

3 Pac 12 Regular Season Championships

3 Pac 12 League Conference Tournament Championships

Why Coach Stubblefield?

Tony Stubblefield is in his 11th season as an assistant coach with the University of Oregon men’s basketball program. Stubblefield has been an instrumental part of Oregon’s ability to assemble four recruiting classes that were ranked among the top 12 nationally (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019). Included in those classes were future NBA players Troy Brown Jr. and Louis King and NBA Draft choices Brown Jr., Bol Bol and Payton Pritchard. Coach Stubblefield has had a ton of success in his time in Eugene. 6 NCAA Tournament Appearances, 4 Sweet 16’s, 2 Elite 8’s and one Final Four. His ability to not only recruit the best players in the country but also coach and develop this is something that every rebuilding program needs.

Stubblefield came to the Ducks after spending four years as an assistant at the University of Cincinnati, serving as the Bearcats’ recruiting coordinator from 2006-10. Prior to joining the staff at Cincinnati, he served as assistant coach at New Mexico State for six seasons. With over 20 years of coaching experience at the college level, he has demonstrated not only the ability to recruit the best players in the country but with 10 straight seasons of 20+ victories he has also shown a consistent ability to win at the highest level!

Jason Hart (University of Southern California) – 8^th Year

21-6 Record (14-5 Pac-12)

2 NCAA Tournament Appearances

1 NIT Appearance

4 “Twenty-win” seasons

Why Coach Hart?

Coach Hart has been an integral part of the resurgence of the USC program! From 1980-2013 the Trojan’s recorded 6 “20-win seasons” and Coach Hart has accounted for 4 in his 8 years on staff! Currently USC is #6 in the Nation in Defensive Field Goal %, #9 in blocks per game, #21 in the country in rebounds per game, #25 in offensive rebounds per game, #45 in scoring margin, and #51 in scoring defense. Coach Hart’s passion and commitment to excellence stand out and make him the ideal candidate for recruiting, developing and preparing young men for success on and off the court!

Anthony Solomon (Dayton University) – 4^th Year

14-9 Record (9-7 A10)

12 NCAA Tournament Appearances

3 Elite 8 Appearances

14 “Twenty-win” seasons

Why Coach Solomon?

We will never know how far the Flyers could have flown last season… They were in the midst of a legendary run when Covid-19 abruptly caused the end of the 2019-20 season as Dayton held a 29-2 record (18-0 A10) and was ranked #3 in the country. But even without the “March Success” from last year, Coach Solomon’s resume clearly outlines his head coaching potentiality.

A Wikipedia search of Coach Solomon would lead you to believe that he struggled previously as a Head Coach, but that lacks a lot of context. Via Wikipedia “In 2003, St. Bonaventure was reeling from an academic fraud scandal and resulting NCAA sanctions. In searching for a replacement for fired coach Jan van Breda Kolff, Solomon was hired based on his honest reputation and ideas for bringing the program back. While Solomon achieved the goal of restoring a clean program, his teams had a 24–88 record over his four seasons and he was fired after a 7–22 campaign in 2006-07”  What is lacking from that statement is how bad of a situation it was at the time. Coach Solomon not only inherited a scandal plagued program, he was also given the task of cleaning it up and rebuilding while on NCAA probation and docked of 3 scholarships from 2003-2005. It is very hard to win basketball games under those circumstances and shouldn’t be held against Coach Solomon when evaluating his fitness to lead a program.

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 potential head coaching candidates, 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!

TJ Cleveland (St. John’s University) – 2^nd Year

16-10 Record (10-9 Big East)

9 NCAA Tournament Appearances

2 Sweet 16 Appearance

1 Elite 8 Appearance

2 Top 25 Recruiting Classes

11 “Twenty-win” seasons

9 NBA Players Coached

Why Coach Cleveland?

In his second season as St. John’s associate head coach, TJ Cleveland has been instrumental in setting the foundation for a basketball program on the rise by making an imprint on all areas, including recruiting, skill development and scouting. In 2019-20, he played a key role in guiding the Red Storm to a winning season with a young roster that featured eight newcomers. Cleveland has helped establish a defensive minded/high-energy brand of basketball at St. John’s, which is reminiscent of every program he’s been at. Last season, the Red Storm ranked among the national leaders in steals per game (2^nd), turnover margin (3^rd) and assist-to-turnover ratio (23^rd) during his first season with the program.



He has assembled elite recruiting classes over the years in high major programs and in 15 of his 18 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. He would be a “slam dunk” for a program in need of a Head Coach that’s going to instill a winning culture and ultimately build a winning basketball program!

Jeff Massey (University of Toledo) – 7th Year

20-7 Record (15-4 MAC)

1 NCAA Tournament Appearances

4 “Twenty-win” seasons

Why Coach Massey?

Jeff Massey begins his seventh season as an assistant coach at Toledo and his second as the program's Associate Head Coach. He joined the Rockets prior to the 2014-15 campaign after spending seven years as an assistant at St. Bonaventure (2007-14). He has led his teams to a .500+ record in 13 of the last 15 seasons including 4 Twenty + win seasons. Massey has the Rockets on the cusp of their third 20-win season in the last 4 years and top 50 in the country in 7 statistical categories. The Rockets are currently 3^rd in the Nation in 3 Point FG’s per game, 12^th in the Nation Assist to Turnover Ratio, 17^th in 3 Point FG %, 18^th in Points per game, 23^rd in Assists per game, 30^th in Turnovers per game, and 44^th in Scoring Margin. Coach Massey is a winner and has the skillset, experience and recruiting prowess to be able to turn a program around.

Dwayne Stephens (Michigan State University) – 17th Year

15-11 Record (9-11 Big 10)

17 NCAA Tournament Appearances

10 Sweet 16 Appearances

7 Elite 8 Appearances

6 Final Four Appearances

17 “Twenty-win” seasons

Why Coach Stephens?

Covid-19 abruptly ended the 2019-20 which paused Coach Stephens’ run of 17 consecutive NCAA Tournament Appearances, but with the Spartan's upset win over Michigan on Sunday March 7th it appears the streak continues. 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 17 years at his alma matter, Coach Stephens has made the NCAA tournament every year. Last season he helped lead the Spartans to their 6th Big Ten Regular Season title. The Spartans led the nation in rebounding in 2009, 2010, 2016 and 2018, and have led the Big Ten in eight of his 15 seasons.

He has helped guide MSU to four Big Ten Championships and three Big Ten Tournament titles. Each of the top eight seasons in MSU history for blocks have occurred since Stephens joined the coaching staff, including a school record 251 in 2018. 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.

Karl Hobbs (Rutgers University) – 5th Year

14-10 Record (10-10 Big 10)

18 Post-Season Appearances

6 Sweet 16 Appearances

4 Elite 8 Appearances

2 Final Four Appearances

2 x National Champion

Former A10 Coach of The Year; 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 last 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.

ASSISTANT COACHES

Saddi Washington (University of Michigan) – 5th Year

AP #2

19-3 Record (14-3 Big 10)

5 NCAA Tournament Appearances

3 Sweet 16 Appearances

1 Elite 8 Appearances

1 Final Four Appearances

2021 Big Ten Regular Season Champions

Why Coach Washington?

Saddi Washington has been a college coach for 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 first four years at Michigan he has amassed 108 wins (average of 27/season) including a record 33 wins in 2017/18. Currently the Wolverines are ranked #2 by Associated Press,18-2 and top 25 in 8 statistical categories (Assist to Turnover Ratio, Blocked Shots/Game, Defensive Rebounds/Game, Field Goal %, Field Goal % Defense, Rebound Margin, Scoring Margin, and 3 Point FG %). Prior to arriving in Ann Arbor; 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.

Sherman Dillard (University of Iowa) – 11th Year

AP #5

20-7 Record (14-6 Big 10)

14 NCAA Tournament Appearances

5 Sweet 16 Appearances

1 Elite 8 Appearances

1 Final Four Appearances

16 Twenty-Win Seasons

25 Seasons above .500

Why Coach Dillard?

Sherman Dillard has helped rejuvenate the Iowa basketball program since his arrival in Iowa City in 2010. Attendance at Carver-Hawkeye Arena is up by more than 50 percent, and Dillard has helped vault the program back to national prominence on a consistent basis. Iowa achieved its highest national since 1987, when it was ranked as high as No. 3 on Jan. 25, 2016, and was ranked the final 11 weeks of the 2016. The Hawkeyes were nationally-ranked for 16 consecutive weeks in 2019, the final nine weeks of the 2020 season and every week of the 2020-21 season. Iowa has averaged 20 wins the last nine seasons, with its 183 victories between 2013-20 being the most over a nine-year span at Iowa since 1986-94. The past 10 years at Iowa Dillard helped coach 15 Hawkeyes to professional contracts, including Devyn Marble and Aaron White, who were selected by the Orlando Magic (2014) and Washington Wizards (2015) in the NBA Draft, respectively.

Dillard has four decades of coaching experience, serving as a college assistant or head coach. His accolades

include 16 “Twenty-Win” Seasons, 25 Seasons above .500, and CAA Coach of the Year during his time as Head Coach of his alma mater; James Madison University. While competing for the Dukes he led them in scoring each of his four years and was the team’s top rebounder as a freshman. Dillard is the second-leading scorer (2,065 points) in James Madison history and was honored as a CAA “Legend” in 2009.

Dillard’s experience extends beyond the court. He worked as a basketball marketing representative for Nike for six years (2004-10). He served as Global Camp Director, responsible for administrative and operational facets of a series of highly acclaimed camps and academies sponsored by Nike. His experience, perspective and expertise are just what a program going through unsteady times needs.

Antoine Pettway (University of Alabama) – 10th Year

AP #8

21-6 Record (16-2 SEC)

5 NCAA Tournament Appearances

3 Sweet 16 Appearances

1 Elite 8 Appearances

1 Final Four Appearances

Why Coach Pettway?

The quote from Current SEC Coach of the Year, Alabama Head Coach, Nate Oats says it all… “In getting to know Antoine, he’s one of the best individuals I’ve ever met. He’s got no ego; he’s not entitled; and he’s got great relationships with our guys. I interviewed all the players when I first got here and the feedback I got on him was that he really cares about each of them. He recruited a lot of them and the fact that he helped sign the three guys coming in was big. I talked to a lot of people about him and it was all great.”

Known as one of the top recruiters in the country, (247sports.com listed Pettway as the No. 1 recruiter in the nation for the 2019 class. Prior to that, he was ranked No. 3 nationally in 2017 and No. 9 in 2018, making it three consecutive years he has ranked among the top-10 recruiters in the nation.) Coach Pettway has played a pivotal role in Alabama’s growth and has had a part in all aspects of the program including but not limited to recruiting, on-court coaching working primarily with the guards, scouting and statistical breakdown. He also works with the coaching staff to develop players off the court while assisting in the day-to-day management of the program. I’ve often heard Head Coaches discuss being a “CEO” of the program, and Coach Pettway’s experience has prepared him for that future role!

Kyle Neptune (Villanova University) – 5th Year

AP #10

16-5 Record (11-4 Big East)

6 NCAA Tournament Appearances

2 Sweet 16 Appearances

2 Elite 8 Appearances

2 Final Four

2 National Championships

2021 Big East Champions

7 “Twenty-Win” Seasons

Why Coach Neptune?

Kyle Neptune has been on the Villanova sidelines for the last eight seasons. During this period of unprecedented success, the Wildcats have averaged 30.7 wins per season. They have won the Big East Regular Season Conference Championship 7 times, Big East Tournament Conference Championship 4 times, and NCAA Championship. He had previously served the Wildcats from 2008-10 as the administrative intern/video coordinator and was a part of the staff that helped lead VU to the 2009 NCAA Final Four in Detroit.

 "During his time at Villanova, Kyle has demonstrated all the qualities you want to see in a young coach - commitment, passion, and the ability to communicate with young people." stated head coach Jay Wright. "He is a well-rounded and talented young coach who we are thrilled to have with us."

Coming into this season, Coach Neptune had been a part of 7 straight 24+ win seasons. He has experienced cutting down the nets at the end of the season as National Champion twice, he has learned how to win and how to do it consistently. A school looking to develop a winning culture has to hire a winner who understands what it takes to be successful. Coach Neptune has learned from one of the best and will be able to use that knowledge/experience to transform a program for years to come.



Charlton “C.Y.” Young (Florida State University) – 8th Year

AP #11

15-4 Record (11-3 ACC)

3 NCAA Tournament Appearances

2 Sweet 16 Appearances

1 Elite 8 Appearances

Why Coach Young?

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.

Prior to his time at FSU; Coach Young has serves as an Assistant Coach at Auburn, Jacksonville, Northeastern, Chattanooga (Associate Head Coach), Georgia Tech and former Head Coach at Georgia Southern University. The Eagles were collectively and individually successful during his four seasons as the head coach. He led the Eagles to a second-place finish in the Southern Conference standings in 2012 as the team earned the second-best turnaround in league history. For his efforts he was honored as the Southern Conference Coach of the Year by multiple publications and was a finalist for the Ben Jobe Award which is presented annually to the top Division I minority head coach. Young coached four All-Southern Conference selections including Willie Powers (all-conference third team in 2010) and Eric Ferguson (all-conference first team in 2013, all-conference first-team and All-Southern Conference Tournament team in 2012 and the All-Freshman team in 2011). The selections of Powers and Ferguson to the all-conference team in 2013 marked the first time since 2007 that multiple Georgia Southern players had earned all-conference accolades in the same season. In 2013, he led the Eagles to a victory over Virginia Tech for the first win in program history over a team from the ACC.

Florida State has been on a meteoric rise since C.Y.’s arrival in Tallahassee. The “New Bloods” as he has coined them 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. Last 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.

Norm Roberts (Kansas University) – 8th Year

AP #13

19-8 Record (12-6 Big 12)

14 NCAA Tournament Appearances

9 Sweet 16 Appearances

6 Elite 8 Appearances

1 Final Four Appearances

16 “Twenty-Win” Seasons

Why Coach Roberts?

In his time at Kansas, the Jayhawks have won six Big 12 regular-season titles, three Big 12 Tournament championships and have advanced to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 five times, the Elite Eight four times and the Final Four once, in 2018. While on the KU sidelines, Roberts has coached five NBA Lottery selections in Josh Jackson, Andrew Wiggins, Ben McLemore, Joel Embiid and Kelly Oubre Jr. Roberts has been instrumental in the development of more than 20 Jayhawks that went on to compete professionally. Coach Roberts has experienced success in the WAC, SEC, Big East, Big 10 & Big 12. He has served as an Assistant Coach, Associate Head Coach and Head Coach at the Division 1 level over the last 30 years. Any school looking for a Head Coach that has national recruiting ability, a strong track record of success and Head Coaching experience should take a serious look at Coach Norm Roberts.

Carlin Hartman (Oklahoma University) – 5th Year

AP #16

14-9 Record (9-8 Big 12)

2 NCAA Tournament Appearances

Why Coach Hartman?

Carlin Hartman is in his fifth season as an assistant coach for the Sooners. Hartman was hired by head coach Lon Kruger in 2016 after spending the previous two seasons as the associate head coach at Rice University. With Hartman in Norman, the Sooners have reached the last two NCAA Tournaments (last year’s tournament was cancelled due to Covid-19.) As a recruiter, Hartman has played a crucial role in bringing in the best recruiting class of the Kruger era.

Hartman began his coaching debut as an assistant coach at Rice in 1996 following his professional basketball career and has served in three separate stints with the Owls, returning for two seasons as director of operations from 2002-04 and as associate head coach from 2014-16. Prior to his return to Rice, Hartman worked as Columbia’s associate head coach for four seasons. In 2013-14, he helped lead the program to its most wins (21) since 1968. Before his appointment at Columbia, Hartman served as an assistant coach for one season each at James Madison and Centenary in 2009-10 and 2008-09, respectively. From 2005-08, Hartman worked as assistant coach and the lead recruiter at Richmond for three seasons where he was the lead recruiter for three of the top scorers in program history.

Coach Hartman has consistently demonstrated his ability to recruit top talent as well as achieve high level success at multiple locations. His ability to win in high academic settings makes him even more attractive for programs looking to transform not only the on the court talent but also create success in the classroom.



Jermaine Kimbrough (Loyola University Chicago) – 2nd Year

AP #20

24-4 Record (16-2 Missouri Valley Conference)

1 NCAA Tournament Appearances

10 “Twenty-Win” Seasons

Why Coach Kimbrough?

Jermaine Kimbrough has over 20 years of collegiate coaching experience. In his first season in Chicago, Kimbrough played a key role in helping the Ramblers to a 21-win season in 2019-20, as the Ramblers finished just one game behind Northern Iowa in the Missouri Valley Conference. Prior to joining the Loyola coaching staff he spent three years at Wyoming, where he helped lead the Cowboys to a pair of 20-win seasons, including an appearance in the College Basketball Invitational. Before heading to Wyoming, Coach Kimbrough spent one season at the University of Nevada, where he helped the Wolf Pack to a 24-win campaign in 2015-16. That season, Nevada captured the CBI title and also delivered four All-Mountain West Conference individual honors. Prior to that Coach Kimbrough served nine seasons as an assistant coach under Gary Waters at Cleveland State University. During his tenure with the Vikings, Kimbrough was a key part of four postseason appearances, including a NCAA tournament and three trips to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), and CSU racked up five 20-win campaigns. He helped recruit an abundance of talent to Cleveland State, including Norris Cole, who was a 2011 NBA Draft pick, as well as NBA players Bryn Forbes, Trey Lewis and Ike Nwamu.
 
“I am thrilled to add someone with Jermaine’s experience to our staff… I have known Jermaine for a long time and really respect the job he has done at every stop along his journey. He is a tireless recruiter and has a tremendous enthusiasm about the profession. Jermaine has recruited and trained players that have reached the highest level and I have been so impressed with his all-around abilities as a coach, from developing strong relationships with student-athletes, to player development, game-planning and recruiting.” Loyola head coach Porter Moser

Coach Kimbrough has experienced success at all stops along his journey which leads me to believe that will also be the case once he’s given the opportunity to lead his own program. He has shown an ability to recruit & develop top talent and help them with reaching the highest level of basketball. There’s no question that Jermaine Kimbrough will be able to build a winning team as a Head Coach. The only question is, “When will it happen?”

Dean Oliver (University of Wisconsin) – 3^rd Year

AP #25

16-11 Record (10-10 Big 10)

1 NCAA Tournament Appearance

5 “Twenty-Win” Seasons

Why Coach Oliver?

Coach Oliver came to Madison after a pair of three-year coaching stints at North Dakota (2012-14) and Illinois State (2015-17). In three seasons at ISU, Oliver helped guide Illinois State to a 68-34 overall record, a share of the 2017 Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title and two National Invitation Tournament bids (2015 and 2017). During the 2016-17 season, the Redbirds set program records for overall victories (28) and conference wins (17). In his first season on the Badgers bench, they finished the season with a 23–11 record, 14–6 in Big Ten play, and finished in 4th place. The Badgers finished the 2019-20 season with a 21-10 record, 14-6 in Big Ten play and a share of the Big Ten regular season title.  Wisconsin was the #1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament and Coach Gard named the Big Ten Coach of the Year prior to the Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament were both cancelled due to precautions related to the Covid 19 pandemic. Wisconsin was listed at #17 on the AP's final 2019-20 rankings.

“We are really excited to welcome Dean back to the Big Ten and the Wisconsin basketball family,” Gard said. “I have been impressed with him over the years and after getting to know him better through this process, it became easy to see why he has been so successful in the past as a player and most recently as a coach. Everyone I talked to about Dean had the utmost respect for his leadership, teaching abilities and passion for helping student-athletes. He has a tremendous reputation for building relationships, has great rapport with players and excels in player development, particularly with guards. It’s rare to find a coach with his combination of professional playing experience and coaching ability and I have no doubt he is the right fit for our program.”

Coach Oliver has helped to catapult Wisconsin to the becoming a perennial Big Ten powerhouse and has shown the ability to recruit and develop some of the best talented players in the country. His passion, energy and leadership are the foundational pillars of success throughout his career and will allow him to maintain that success when given the opportunity to run his own program. Dean Oliver is one of those names to add to your list, circle and underline. If not this year; one year soon we will see him as a Head Coach!

Cornell Mann (University of Missouri) – 4^th  Year

15-8 Record (8-8 SEC)

8 NCAA Tournament Appearances

1 Sweet 16 Appearances

13 “Twenty-Win” Seasons

Why Coach Mann?

Coach Cornell Mann is a wealth of championship basketball knowledge & experience. He has NCAA Tournament coaching experience from five different schools, including a run of four consecutive NCAA berths with the Cyclones. In his first season with the Flyers, Mann helped coach Dayton to the second-most wins in school history (27) and a second round NCAA Tournament appearance. The very next season he played an integral role in the Dayton Flyers winning the NIT Championship. In the last 20 years he has achieved 13 “Twenty-Win” seasons and 8 NCAA Tournament Appearances. Missouri, Iowa State, Dayton, Western Michigan, Central Michigan all made it to the big dance while Coach Mann was on staff!

In first his first season at Mizzou, the Tigers qualified for their first NCAA Tournament since 2013 & recorded their first 20-win season in four years. Mann was the lead recruiter for First Team All-SEC guard Kassius Robertson, who led Mizzou in scoring in 2017-18.

In his time at Iowa State, Mann recruited and tutored one of the top point guards in college basketball in Flint, Michigan, native Monte Morris, who finished his Iowa State career with the best assist-to-turnover ratio in NCAA history (4.65-1). Morris remains the Cyclones' all-time assists leader. 

Coach Mann has shown an immediate impact to the success of every program that he has been a part of. For a school looking to make a quick turnaround, Cornell Mann is your guy! He has demonstrated an ability to not only attract future NBA stars but also nurture and develop them both on and off the court. His experience speaks for itself and shows the type of leadership and winning culture that a rebuilding program desperately needs.

Charles Thomas (Duquesne University) – 4th Year

9-9 Record (7-7 A10)

2 NCAA Tournament Appearances

8 “Twenty-Win” Seasons

Why Coach Thomas?

Coach Charles Thomas, who spent seven seasons on Keith Dambrot’s staff at Akron, is in his fourth year with the Dukes. Over those 11 seasons, 8 have resulted in 20+ wins and all of them have been .500 or better. Coach Thomas is heavily involved in recruiting and assists with all aspects of game preparation and on-court instruction.

Thomas joined the Akron staff after spending two seasons as an assistant head coach at Northwood University in Midland, Mich. Prior to his time at Northwood, he spent one season as an assistant coach at Radford University (2006-07). Before joining the coaching ranks, Thomas spent 15 years playing professionally in the U.S. and abroad.

Coach Thomas has a mixture of success as a player and coach which allows him to connect and relate to the players he's working with. His perspective and experience gives him an advantage in player/character development. Coach Thomas is one of the greatest Eastern Michigan Eagles of all time and with rumors of that job opening up it would be a "no-brainer" for the program to turn to someone who brought them success on the court years ago to lead the program back to prominence!