Kennesaw State hires Antoine Pettway as Owls’ next head coach
Alabama assistant Antoine Pettway has been announced as the new head coach at Kennesaw State. Pettway is an Alabama-native who played for the Tide from 2000-04 and has spent a total of sixteen years on the coaching staff at his alma mater.
“Coach Pettway is a well-rounded basketball coach, elite recruiter and family man with great integrity,” AD Milton Overton said in a statement. “His core values, exceptional work ethic, dedication to his players and love for the game is clear through the success Alabama basketball has experienced over the years. Coach Pettway has consistently ranked as a top-five recruiter in the nation over the past several years with a well-defined relationship in the state of Georgia coaching community. Coach Pettway was the offensive coordinator for one of the best offenses in the nation this past season for Alabama, who earned the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
This is the first head coaching opportunity for Pettway, just as it was for Amir Abdur-Rahim four years ago. He has been instrumental in recruiting and developing a number of current (and future) NBA talents in Tuscaloosa, including Collin Sexton, Kira Lewis, Herb Jones and both Brandon Miller and Noah Clowney, expected to go in the first round of the 2023 draft.
“This has been extremely emotional and exciting for my family and , but I am so grateful to have the opportunity to lead this program and work with an amazing group of people at Kennesaw State University!,” said Pettway. “Thank you to President Schwaig, Milton Overton, Tamica Smith Jones and the Board of Trustees for trusting me to lead this program. I am ready to get started and soar to new heights with the Owls. I cannot go without thanking the University of Alabama. The last 15 years in Tuscaloosa have molded me into the man I am today. Thank you to Coach Oats, Greg Byrne, President Bell and all the players I have coached and played with throughout my time with the Tide. Tuscaloosa will always hold a special place in my heart for helping me live out my dream of playing Division I basketball and coaching at the highest level. Kim and I cannot wait to bring our family down to Kennesaw and get to work! #HootyHoo!”
Pettway takes over for Abdur-Rahim, who took the South Florida job last month after four seasons with the Owls. AAR’s tenure was the most successful in the program’s D-I history, culminating this year with the team’s first winning season, ASUN title, ASUN Tournament title, and NCAA Tournament appearance since moving up in 2005.
Nate Oats has now lost three assistant coaches, all to head coaching jobs, this offseason. Pettway joins Charlie Henry (Georgia Southern) and Bryan Hodgson (Arkansas State) as the newest members of Oats’ coaching tree.
credit to Kennesaw State Athletics for the image
