English lesson: Kim English begins new basketball chapter as head coach at George Mason
FAIRFAX, Va. (BVM) — Kim English knows all about the college basketball game. As a former star for the University of Missouri, English has seen both the highs and lows of Division I basketball. Now, English will look to take the experiences he鈥檚 learned on the court as both a player and coach into his new role as the head men鈥檚 basketball coach at George Mason University.
鈥淚鈥檓 really excited for this opportunity that鈥檚 been afforded to me,鈥� English said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been working towards it for a long time as I alluded to earlier today not just to get the job, but to do what we have to do to have success in this job. I鈥檓 incredibly excited, excited about the roster that we have in place, excited to be back close to home and just really honored and humbled and ready to get to work.鈥�
The English Era starts now! 馃敯
We are thrilled to welcome Kim English as the 11th head coach in our program鈥檚 history.
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— George Mason Men's Basketball (@MasonMBB)
English, a Baltimore native, comes to George Mason with a wealth of experience he learned both as a player and as a coach at a number of successful programs.
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 Missouri Tigers where he and the team won 107 games during his four-year career, making him and two teammates the winningest players in program history. During his senior year, English averaged a career-best 14.5 points while leading Missouri to 30 wins, one of two Big 12 Tournament titles during his career, was named Most Outstanding Player of the 2012 Big 12 Tournament and helped the Tigers earn a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
English has used the lessons learned, including transitioning under a new head coach, from his time as a Mizzou player to help him in his current career.
鈥淢y program identity was developed from my time at Missouri,鈥� English said. 鈥淲e played incredibly hard. We were tough. We were really competitive and we worked really hard. That is something that we prided ourselves in, we worked at every single day. That鈥檚 what our guys are going to do here and we鈥檙e going to recruit guys that are the same.鈥�
Following his successful career at Missouri, English was taken with the No. 44 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons and appeared in 41 games during the 2012-13 season. He would then play two years internationally before returning to the NBA in a brief stint with the Chicago Bulls in 2014. A short year stint overseas in 2015 would mark the end of English鈥檚 professional playing career and he would return to the U.S. to begin his work as a coach.
In late 2015, English would join the staff at the University of Tulsa where he would serve as the director of player development before being promoted to assistant coach during the next season. During his final season with the Golden Hurricane, English helped lead the team to bid to the 2016 NCAA Tournament.
Following his stint at Tulsa, English would join the staff at the University of Colorado where he would again serve as an assistant coach. During two years with the Buffs, the team would have back-to-back winning seasons with a record of 40-28. English would also mentor Tyler Bey and McKinley Wright IV who would both earn first-team All-Pac-12 honors with Bey also being named Pac-12 Most Improved Player. In English’s first season at Colorado, he coached another All-Pac-12 honoree George King, who was selected by the Phoenix Suns in the 2018 NBA Draft.
For the past two seasons, English has been an assistant coach for the Tennessee Volunteers under former Patriots head coach Rick Barnes. During his two years with the team, the Vols made two NCAA Tournament appearances, were ranked in the Top 25 and had a player win the program鈥檚 first ever SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors. English was also integral to creating the Volunteers core roster as he recruited and developed star freshman Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer, who garnered SEC All-Freshman Team accolades and are both projected as top-20 prospects in the 2021 NBA Draft.
鈥淚 had great assistantships,鈥� English said. 鈥淲hen I was at Tulsa, I never thought I was leaving Tulsa. When I was at Colorado, I thought Colorado was the best job in the country. When I came to Tennessee I thought it was amazing. I鈥檝e never been really looking for what鈥檚 next, I鈥檝e just been so locked into the process of where I am. But, when this job arised I looked into it.鈥�
English credits both Barnes鈥� experience as a former coach at George Mason and his mentorship as contributors as to why the job at the school was so appealing.
鈥淗e鈥檚 had a tremendous impact on me,鈥� English said. 鈥淥n my faith. On my basketball. On the way I want to build a team and a roster. He has nothing but fond memories of this place. 鈥� He鈥檚 so excited. I was FaceTiming him earlier. It鈥檚 a pretty cool story. I鈥檓 in the same office as him. I鈥檓 the same age as him [when he got the job]. 鈥� If I can do anything to make [my mentors] proud I鈥檒l be happy.鈥�
English鈥檚 star has been rising in NCAA circles for quite some time now. In May 2018, the National Association of Basketball Coaches listed English as part of the Under Armour Top 30 under 30 which honors young up-and-coming collegiate basketball coaches. Last May, English was included in a similar list, this time as part of ESPN鈥檚 鈥淭op 40 under 40.鈥� Though young, English felt that everything just hit right at George Mason for him to make the jump to head coach.
鈥淐oach Barnes, Coach Boyle and Coach Haith were adamant to me early on in my career that you don鈥檛 have to take a bad job,鈥� English said. 鈥淲hen I got to learn and read about [George Mason president] Dr. Washington and we talked about goals he said to me, 鈥業 want to change education as we know it.鈥� And I thought that was so bold and so modern and progressive and ambitious and I find myself similar as a coach and my goals.鈥�
Now, after years of showing his coaching potential, English will get his first chance to run his own team. Though the pomp and circumstance surrounding his introductory press conference brought all the attention on the new coach, English wants the future outlook to be on the players and the program he creates, not him.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a little uncomfortable for me,鈥� English admitted. 鈥淚 want it to be about our guys. I want every single thing we give to be about our players. 鈥� I want it to be about our guys because what we鈥檙e asking them to do is hard. It鈥檚 hard to be a good college basketball team. I want to pour into them because they are pouring into us. They鈥檙e pouring into this university. So I want them to get all the attention.鈥�
With a ravenous Mason Nation fanbase excited for the program鈥檚 newest hire, English will look to meet the high expectations. By listening to his press conference, it is clear that he has his mind made up of what he thinks George Mason basketball will be.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to be an incubator for the best talent in the country,鈥� English said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to find the best players. The toughest, most competitive, hardest working players you鈥檒l ever see will be in this program. We鈥檙e going to put the country on notice.鈥�
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