Fansided

Vanderbilt hires Jerry Stackhouse as next men’s basketball coach

ByAllison Cary|
MISSISSAUGA, CANADA - APRIL 25: Jerry Stackhouse of the Raptors 905 coaches against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers during Game Two of the D-League Finals at the Hershey Centre on April 25, 2017 in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images)
MISSISSAUGA, CANADA - APRIL 25: Jerry Stackhouse of the Raptors 905 coaches against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers during Game Two of the D-League Finals at the Hershey Centre on April 25, 2017 in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images)

Vanderbilt has signed former NBA star Jerry Stackhouse as their next men’s basketball coach after his first season with the Memphis Grizzlies.

On Friday, Vanderbilt University announced the signing of Jerry Stackhouse as the next head coach for their men’s basketball team. He is the latest in a series of NBA-to-college hires that include Penny Hardaway, Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin, Terry Porter, and others.

“I am extremely excited to join the Vanderbilt family and build on the incredible accomplishments of its athletics program and men’s basketball program,” Stackhouse said in a statement. “I look forward to furthering Vanderbilt’s unique approach to athletics — blending a powerhouse competitive spirit with elite academics to holistically develop talented student-athletes and celebrate victories on and off the court.”

The move is a bold one for new athletic director Malcom Turner, who joined Vanderbilt only five months ago. Prior to his move to Vanderbilt, Turner ran the NBA G League. Stackhouse was a coach in the NBA G League and has done a lot of work in grassroots basketball programs. Most recently, he had joined the NBA as an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies.

“The future is bright for the men’s basketball team with such an accomplished individual at the helm,” said Turner. “Jerry brings a unique mix of experience as a legendary player and successful coach, and I fully expect he’ll take the program to new heights. I’ve spoken with people inside and outside both college and professional basketball, and there is unanimous agreement that Jerry’s competitiveness, grit and tireless focus on player development are a perfect fit to advance the ‘Vanderbilt Way’ in college athletics. This is an incredibly exciting moment for Vanderbilt.”

Stackhouse had an impressive run in the NBA G League. In his first season with the Toronto Raptors 905, they went 39-11, 6-1 in the playoffs, and made it to the NBA G League Championship. Stackhouse was named the NBA G League Coach of the Year for the 2016-2017 season. He led his team to another winning season another G League Championship in the 2017-2018 season.

Stackhouse retired from the NBA in 2013, after 18 years in the league. He is replacing Bryce Drew at Vanderbilt. Drew was fired after finishing the season at the bottom of the SEC with a winless record.