Vanderbilt hires former NBA All-Star Jerry Stackhouse as head coach

Vanderbilt officially announced on Friday that Jerry Stackhouse, a former NBA All-Star who has been rising up the professional coaching ranks, has been named the Commodores’ new head coach.

“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 release. “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.”

After an 18-year playing career, Stackhouse got into coaching in 2015 with the Toronto Raptors. He spent two years as the head coach of the team’s G-League affiliate Raptors 905, winning the league title and COY honors in 2017. It was this performance that got Stackhouse to the top of wishlist for new Vanderbilt AD Malcolm Turner, who came to the school in February after five years as the NBA G-League president.

“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,” Turner said Friday. “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 the first collegiate coaching opportunity for Stackhouse. The NC-native played two years under Dean Smith at North Carolina, earning first-team All-America and All-ACC honors in 1995.

credit to Carlos Osorio/AP for the photo