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8 Former NBA Players Who Now Coach College Basketball

In increasing numbers, ex-NBA players are taking on the challenge of coaching NCAA basketball.

(Photo: Getty Images)

By Rashad Grove

October 27, 2023 / 4:27 PM

Basketball fans are filled with anticipation as both the 2023-24 NBA and NCAA College Basketball seasons are expected to be exciting as ever.

On the sidelines, several former Black NBA players will be coaching in college basketball programs. From Power 5 schools, mid-majors, and HBCUs, former NBA players are increasingly taking on the challenge of coaching at the collegiate level.

Along with their impeccable basketball IQs, ex-NBA players bring a wealth of experience because of their success as players. Undoubtedly, the presence of these coaches in a basketball locker room holds a high level of cache to young players who have aspirations of playing in the NBA.

With NIL deals and the transfer portal being a part of the college game, coaches now have the opportunity to build basketball programs with resources that were not readily available to coaches who came before them.

To highlight the current trend that’s shaping up in the NCAA, here’s a list of former NBA stars who have put on their hats as head coaches.

Kenny Anderson, Fisk Bulldogs

Photo by Lars Niki

Hailing from Queens, N.Y.,, Kenny Anderson was regarded as the top high school prospect in the country after being named All-City four times at Archbishop Molloy High School.

After a stellar college career at Georgia Tech where led the Yellow Jackets to the Final Four in 1991 , he was selected by the New Jersey Nets as the second pick in the 1991 NBA draft. A one-time All-Star, Anderson played 15 years in the NBA.

Following his playing career, Anderson began coaching the Continental Basketball Association’s Atlanta Krunk in 2007 and the David Posnack Jewish Day School from 2011-2013.

In 2018, Anderson was hired as the head basketball coach for Fisk University, In his first season, the Bulldogs posted a .17-8 record last season, the school’s best record in 35 years

Hubert Davis, North Carolina Tar Heels

Photo by Grant Halverson

In the collegiate ranks, Davis started at the University of Carolina from 1988–1992, where he led the Tar Heels to the Final Four in his union season.

During his 12-year NBA career, he gained a reputation as one of the league’s best marksmen playing for the New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Dallas Mavericks, Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons, and New Jersey Nets.

After his retirement from the NBA, Davis worked as a college basketball analyst for ESPN before becoming an assistant coach at UNC.

He was named the 19th head coach in program history and became the first African American to lead the program in 2021 and lead the Tar Heels all the way to the national championship game before losing to Kansas, 72-69. Davis became one of the few college basketball figures to have gone to a Final Four as a player (1991), an assistant coach (2016 and 2017), and as a head coach (2022).

Anfernee Hardaway, Memphis Tigers

Photo by Ezra Shaw

Anferenee’ Penny” Hardaway is the head coach of his home town school and alma mater, the University of Memphis. A “Grind CIty” legend, Parade Magazine named Hardaway the National High School Player of the Year in 1990, and he starred at Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis) for three seasons. As the starting point guard, he was a finalist for the Naismith College Player of the Year and the John R. Wooden Award which are given to the most outstanding players in college basketball in his collegiate career.

Drafted by the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the 1993 NBA draft but was later traded to the Orlando Magic for first overall pick Chris Webber, Hardaway was a four-time NBA All-Star over 14 seasons.

Hardaway launched his coaching career in 2011 at his middle school alma mater, Lester Middle School, taking over for friend Desmond Merriweather who was undergoing treatment for colon cancer. Under his leadership, the Lester Lions went all the way to the West Tennessee State title.

In 2018, Hardaway was named head coach of the Memphis Tigers, and led the Tigers to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). In 2023, Hardaway led Memphis to an American Athletic Conference championship and a berth in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

Juwan Howard, Michigan Wolverines

Photo by Mike Mulholland

As a collegiate player, Howard was famously part of the “Fab Five” freshman class that included Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson. The Wolverines reached the finals of the NCAA tournament in 1992 and 1993. Howard became the first NBA athlete who entered the draft early and graduated with his academic class

Howard was the fifth overall selection in the 1994 draft by the Washington Bullets (Now Washington Wizards). In his accomplished 19-year NBA career, Howard was a one-time All-Star, was named to the All-NBA third team in 1996, and won back-to-back NBA titles (2012 & 2013) with the Heat.

As coach, Howard began working as an assistant coach with the Miami Heat where he would stay until 2018. During his coaching teaching tenure with the Heat. In 2019, Howard returned to U-M where he was hired as head coach. Since his arrival at Ann Arbor, he was named the Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year, Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year, among other accolades. In 2022, he led the Wolverines to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.

Jerry Stackhouse, Vanderbilt Commodores

Photo by Wesley Hitt

Currently in his fifth season as the head coach at Vanderbilt Commodores after being hired in 2019. Stackhouse led the Commodores to back-to-back winning seasons and NIT quarterfinals berths in 2022 and 2023 and four of his student-athletes were drafted into the NBA. For the 2022-23 season, he earned SEC Co-Coach of the Year, Tennessee Sports Writers Association Coach of the Year, and Ben Jobe National Minority Coach of the Year honors.

Before coming to Vanderbilt, Stackhouse was an assistant coach with the Memphis Grizzlies and served as head coach of the NBA D League’s Raptors 905 for two seasons earning NBA G League Coach of the Year honors in 2017. He was also an assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors during the 2015-16 season.

As a player, Stackhouse played at the University of North Carolina, where he was named the Sports Illustrated Player of the Year, All-America first team, and All-ACC honors at North Carolina. In the 1995 NBA Draft, Stackhouse was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the third overall pick. He was named to the 1995-96 NBA All-Rookie first team after leading all first-year players in scoring (19.8 points).

For his NBA career, Stackhouse played 18 seasons in the NBA with eight teams and made two All-Star games with the Detroit Pistons (2000, 2001).

Rod Strickland, Long Island University Sharks

Photo by Williams Paul

Rod Strickland is in his second season at LIU. Before coming to there, he worked as the program manager for the NBA G League’s professional path program and director of the Ignite, one of the G League’s developmental teams.

A New York City legend as one of the top 10 high school prospects in the nation before playing college ball at DePaul University where he was an All-American.

After being drafted by his hometown New York Knicks, he played for 10 teams in his 17-year career in the NBA, where he’s currently 13th all-time in assists.

Strickland began his coaching career as an assistant for the South Florida Bulls from 2014 to 2017. He formerly served in an administrative capacity for the University of Kentucky basketball team under head coach John Calipari and was the director of basketball operations at the University of Memphis also with Calipari.

Reggie Theus, Bethune-Cookman Wildcats

Photo by Rich Schultz

Reggie Theus is the head coach of the Bethune-Cookman WIldcats and is the school’s athletic director.

Before coming to Bethune-Cookman, he was the head coach from California State University Northridge from 2013-2018. He was the head coach of the South Bay Lakers of the NBA D-League for the 2012-13 season.

In the NBAm Theus was assistant coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2009-2011, and as head coach of the Sacramento Kings for the 2007-08 season.

An accomplished player, Theus was selected by the Chicago Bulls with the ninth overall pick in the 1978 NBA and won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He went on to become a two time All Star in his 14-year NBA career.

Before being drafted into the league, Theus starred at UNLV where he was an All-American.

Mike Woodson, Indiana Hoosiers

Photo by Justin Casterline

Indiana Hoosiers head coach Mike Woodson is leading the basketball program at his alma mater. Between 1976–1980, he was named the Big Ten Player of the Year, an NABC All-American, and awarded the Chicago Tribune Silver Basketball Award as a shooting guard for the Hoosiers.

After being drafted by the New York Knicks as the 12th pick of the 1980 NBA draft, Woodson played for the New Jersey Nets, Kansas City/Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, and Cleveland Cavaliers in 11 seasons.

As a coach, Woodson was an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Detroit Pistons. From 2004-2010, Woodson was head coach of the Atlanta Hawks and the New York Knicks 2012-2014. He also served stints as an assistant with the Knicks and the Los Angeles Clippers.

In 2021, Woodson was hired as the Hoosiers head coach and led the team back-to-back tournament appearances for the first time since the 2015 and 2016 tournaments.