Subscribe
Follow Us
Tennessee State recently announced the hire of former Duke standout Nolan Smith as the next men's basketball head coach. But, per a report by Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, Smith was far from the only big name considered for the position. Tennessee State Athletics has been making big moves in recent years, first hiring Eddie George to lead the football team and then bringing on former WNBA Champion Candace Dupree to lead the Lady Tigers last year.
It seems they were aiming big once again for the men's basketball team, as Robinson mentions that Tennessee State reached out to Naismith Memorial Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen and three-time NBA Champion-turned-assistant coach Sam Cassell.
“Tennessee State, a storied HBCU program with a proud basketball tradition that includes NBA legends like Dick Barnett and Truck Robinson, has made waves in recent years for considering big-name hires. Sources indicate that other notable names who have been contacted during this search include longtime NBA veteran Sam Cassell and Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, whose son played at Vanderbilt,” Robinson said in his report last week prior to Nolan Smith being hired.
Although neither of these accomplished NBA veterans ultimately got the job, it is certainly interesting in the bigger picture of the HBCU coaching carousel. Pippen, an NBA legend who won six championships alongside Michael Jordan, would've certainly been an out-of-the-box pick. He doesn't have professional coaching experience nor has he been a huge name in the never-ending coaching search at the college level.
But, Cassell also was an intriguing name in thsi coacing search. Following his retirement in 2008, Cassell has served several seasons as an NBA assistant coach. He spent several years of his career as a part of Doc Rivers's coaching staff with the Clippers and then the Philadelphia 76ers. He is currently an assistant with the Boston Celtics under Joe Mazzulla, with whom he aided the Celtics in winning the 2024 NBA Championship over the Dallas Mavericks.
In February, Cassell was mentioned as a candidate for the then-vacant Florida State men's basketball coach job following the announcement of Leonard Hamilton's retirement. However, he stated that the program had not contacted him.
“Once the athletic department reaches out to me, then (FSU’s interest) is official. But they haven’t reached out to me,” Sam Cassell told Heavy.com's Steve Bulpett.
Cassell would certainly be an interesting option to lead an HBCU program if the opportunity arises. He's served as an NBA assistant since 2008, and becoming the head coach of an HBCU basketball program could help him prove his coaching talents and open new doors for his career.
