Who Is Kim English and Is He the Next PC Coach?
Wednesday, March 22, 2023
Kim English just completed his second year as the head coach at George Mason University — he was 20-13 this past season and 34-29 overall. All indications are that English will be the next head coach of the Friars.
The Providence College connection to English is he served as a top assistant to former Friar coach Rick Barnes at the University of Tennessee.
English starred at the University of Missouri and was a second-round draft pick in the NBA draft by the Detroit Pistons. He has a basketball pedigree.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTMultiple pundits are claiming the deal with English is done, but the most telling tweet may be from Providence College great and NBA announcer Doris Burke who tweeted Tuesday night:
"It appears all arrows are slowly starting to point towards #KimEnglish. I for one think he has a charming smile and can be an immediate impact in the transfer portal and for the program as a whole for #pcbb"
Another rumored candidate for the Providence College job, Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley, received a two-year contract extension announced on Tuesday.
English’s Bio at George Mason:
Kim English was named the 11th head coach in the history of the Patriot men's basketball program on March 23, 2021.
An outstanding basketball mind with an impeccable pedigree as a player, coach and leader, English came to Fairfax from the University of Tennessee, where he served as an assistant coach under former Mason bench boss Rick Barnes.
An All-Big 12 selection as a player at the University of Missouri, the Baltimore native was selected in the second round (44th overall) of the NBA Draft and played for the Detroit Pistons before finishing his professional career within the international ranks.
In two seasons in Fairfax, English has matched or set new Atlantic 10 program bests.
During his second campaign in 2022-23, the Patriots matched program bests for A-10 league victories (11) and A-10 Tournament seed (5). Mason won six-straight A-10 league contests for the first time in school history and seven-straight overall for first time since 2016-17. What's more, the Patriots reached the 20-win milestone for the first time since 2016-17.
George Mason continued to elevate its defensive principles in year two under English. The Patriots set a school record for 3pt FG defense (.301, ranked 17th nationally) and also tallied their best scoring defense average (67.3 ppg allowed) since 2012-13.
English’s emphasis on player development continued to bear fruit in 2022-23. Senior Josh Oduro became the first two-time All-A-10 selection in school history and first two-time and first team all-conference selection since Jai Lewis (2004, 2006). He is the seventh two-time NABC All-District selection in program history.
Meanwhile, junior point guard Ronald Polite III put together one of the most improved seasons in program history while making significant gains in nearly every statistical category. That included scoring (11.5 ppg vs. 4.9 rpg), assists (4.0 vs. 1.4) and 3pt FG% (.364 vs. .219).
Graduate guard Victor Bailey Jr. also led the A-10 in 3pt FG percentage, with his 47.0 percent mark is the third-best in program history. He ranked second on the team in scoring (11.8 ppg) after averaging just over two points per contest during his senior season at Tennessee.
During his first season in Fairfax in 2021-22, English guided George Mason to a series of program-building accomplishments.
The Patriots posted their best KenPom (113) and NET/RPI (114) final rankings in a decade while putting together the program’s most efficient offense (1.141 points/possession) since 2010-11. Mason ranked 50th nationally in effective field goal percentage (.530) and shattered the school record for 3-pointers made in a season (280). The Patriots shot it from deep at a 35.8 percent clip, which ranks as the seventh-best mark in program history.
In November, Mason claimed its first-ever road victory over a ranked team when the Patriots won at #20/21 Maryland, 71-66. The Patriots also won at Georgia (80-67) in December, marking the first time in program history Mason knocked off two Power 5 schools on the road in the same season. Overall, the Patriots defeated four top-100 KenPom opponents for the first time since 2016-17.
Oduro became the first student-athlete in school history to be named to the All-A-10 First Team while also garnering NABC All-District accolades. Oduro claimed Mason’s first individual scoring title since George Evans in 1998-99 while leading the A-10 with 17.7 points/game.
Graduate student D’Shawn Schwartz posted career bests in scoring (15.5 ppg), rebounding (4.6 ppg), assists (2.1 apg) and field goal percentage (.457) in 2021-22 after playing four seasons at Colorado. He hit the seventh-most 3-pointers in Mason single season history (76) while ranking third in the A-10 in 3pt percentage (.380).
In his first Mason season after four campaigns at Morehead State, graduate student DeVon Cooper shot a career-best 40.9 percent from 3pt range while averaging 11.6 points/contest. His 40.9 percent clip ranked second in the A-10 and third-best in Mason single season history for a player with at least 150 attempts. Cooper hit an impressive 79 triples on the year, which ranks fifth-most in program history.
In addition, junior Davonte “Ticket Gaines” put together one of the largest production increases of any first-year transfer in the nation. After averaging 0.7 points and 0.7 rebounds in 3.6 minutes/game as a sophomore at Tennessee, Gaines became a key starter during year one in Fairfax while tallying 10.6 points and 8.0 rebounds in 32.8 minutes/contest.
Over his two seasons, English also has stressed the important of academic achievement within his program. During his tenure, Mason has featured its first A-10 All-Academic selections in program history (Schwartz in 2021, Bailey Jr. in 2022).
English has honed his coaching craft while learning under some of the finest mentors in the college game, including Barnes, Tad Boyle and Frank Haith.
In 2020-21, English helped guide the Vols to a top-25 ranking and a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament, marking the program's third-straight appearance in the Big Dance. English recruited and developed star freshmen Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer, who garnered SEC All-Freshman Team accolades. Both Johnson (21st, Los Angeles Clippers) and Springer (28th, Philadelphia 76ers) were selected in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft.
What's more, English played a significant role in developing Tennessee into a top-5 KenPom defensive team nationally, marking a substantial improvement after the Volunteers ranked 62nd in the category in 2019-20.
In his debut season with the Barnes and the Volunteers in 2019-20, English helped junior forwards John Fulkerson and Yves Pons experience breakout campaigns. Fulkerson was named to the coaches' All-SEC team after leading Tennessee in scoring and rebounding and posting the fourth-best single-season field-goal percentage in program history (.612). Pons—who stands 6-6—led the SEC in blocks with a school-record-tying 73 and became the first Vol ever named SEC Defensive Player of the Year. Pons was an SEC All-Defensive Team pick for the second-straight season in 2020-21.
Fulkerson (+10.6 ppg) and Pons (+8.6 ppg) both saw their scoring averages soar after English joined UT's staff, and in May of 2020, English was listed on ESPN's "40 Under 40" listing of rising stars in college basketball coaching.
Prior to his hiring at Tennessee, English spent two seasons as an assistant coach on Tad Boyle's staff at Colorado. During that time, the Buffaloes posted back-to-back winning seasons, going 40-28. Colorado reached the quarterfinals of the 2019 NIT and finished with the third-most wins in program history (23).
In 2018-19, English helped Tyler Bey and McKinley Wright IV earn first-team All-Pac-12 honors. Bey also was named Pac-12 Most Improved Player after leading the Buffaloes with 13.6 points and 9.9 rebounds and logging 17 double-doubles. In English's first season at Colorado, he coached All-Pac-12 honoree George King, who was selected by the Phoenix Suns in the 2018 NBA Draft.
As a senior this season, McKinley Wright IV garnered AP All-America honorable mention and All-Pac 12 accolades and put together a 12-point, 13-assist performance in the team's NCAA win over Georgetown.
In May 2018, the NABC included English on its 2017-18 Under Armour "30 Under 30" list, which honored up-and-coming young collegiate coaches. He was one of only five selections from "Power Five" programs.
From 2015-17, English worked for two years under Frank Haith at Tulsa—earning a promotion to assistant coach after one season as director of player development. During that time, he helped mentor a pair of All-American Athletic Conference selections, and the Golden Hurricane earned a bid to the 2016 NCAA Tournament.
A four-year letterman under coaches Mike Anderson and Haith at Missouri from 2008-12, English scored more than 1,500 points and averaged 11.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game for the Tigers. He earned third-team All-Big 12 honors in 2010 and 2012, and Missouri won 107 games during his four-year career, making him and two teammates the winningest players in program history.
The Tigers won a school-record 31 games while making a run to the 2009 Elite Eight in English's freshman campaign.
He averaged a career-best 14.5 points as a senior in 2011-12 and ranked fifth in the Big 12 with 78 3-point makes, while leading Missouri to 30 wins, one of two Big 12 Tournament titles during his career and a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. He was named Most Outstanding Player of the 2012 Big 12 Tournament after averaging 23.0 points and shooting 78 percent during the Tigers' championship run.
The Pistons selected English with the aforementioned 44th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, and he appeared in 41 games during the 2012-13 season.
He then spent two years playing professionally overseas and had a brief stint with the Chicago Bulls in 2014.
A native of Baltimore, Maryland, English attended Randallstown High School and earned Baltimore Sun All-Metro honors, before playing his postgrad year at Notre Dame Prep.
He earned his degree in general studies from Missouri in 2012.
English has two daughters, Celine and Ari.
UPDATED: 6:35 AM on 3/22/2023
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