Memphis’ Hamilton named associate head coach at Northwestern State
Rodney Hamilton, an original member of Penny Hardaway’s staff for Memphis basketball, is moving on.
The Tigers’ director of basketball operations since Hardaway was hired in March 2018 is headed to Northwestern State, where he will serve as associate head coach under new Demons coach Corey Gipson.
“I appreciate coach Hardaway and everything he’s done to let me be part of the staff. With everything, you know, you have to weight the pros and cons,” Hamilton said Thursday. “(But) for me to be able to be back on the sideline as a coach 100% of the time, and to be able to have the opportunity to be the associate head coach, it’s an opportunity for me to continue pushing toward my aspiration of being a head coach one day.”
Hamilton, who starred as a player at Whitehaven and broke into the coaching industry in 2001 as Westside’s coach, is the second staffer to leave Memphis since the team’s season ended in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Assistant Cody Toppert left last month to join Matt Mcmahon’s staff at LSU. Hardaway is also expected to have to fill at least one more assistant coach opening given Rasheed Wallace’s exit in December.
Hamilton was a star guard at Georgia
State and coached at Crichton College, Southeast Missouri State and Tennessee State before returning to Memphis. In addition to his director of basketball operations duties, Hamilton took on additional on-court coaching duties in the wake of Wallace’s departure.
“Me being born and raised here in Memphis, when you’re a player, you’re saying, ‘I want to one day be playing for the University of Memphis,’” Hamilton said. “My journey was a little different. I
came back and was on the staff where I was born and raised and part of the staff with one of our hometown heroes. For me, I was ecstatic. So, you’ll miss that – being around your family, learning (under Hardaway), being part of No. 1 recruiting classes, being here with the great fanbase and Fedexforum. When that thing is packed and full and people are rowdy, me being a hometown kid, being able to experience that, of course I’m going to miss that.”
Hamilton expects the Tigers will build on the momentum generated from a 2021-22 season that saw them reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014.
“I’m sure coach Hardaway will continue to be successful,” Hamilton said. “I’m going to use the things I learned from him, coach (Larry) Brown, (former assistants Cody Toppert, Mike Miller, Tony Madlock) and all those guys that have been part of the staff. I’ll take those deals and utilize those to help us win and be competitive at NSU.”
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @munzly.