The Providence Friars have their guy. Following the unexpected and messy departure of Ed Cooley to Georgetown, new Athletic Director Steve Napolillio was faced with the biggest decision he may have to make for his entire career and he is very aware of the pressure that comes with it.
Nap went out and got his guy, Kim English. English makes his way to Friartown after spending the last two years in the Atlantic 10 with George Mason Patriots. His first year as a head coach, the team finished with a 14-16 record. But, the second year saw an immediate improvement with George Mason finishing with 20 wins and finishing out the regular season on a 6-game winning streak before eventually falling to St. Louis in their conference tournament.
English is local to the DMV, having been born and raised in Baltimore County and playing his high school ball at Randallstown High School helping the team to win three straight state championships and earning MVP honors his Senior season. He followed that up with a year of prep ball at Notre Dame Prep in Mass. before heading on down South to Missouri to suit up for the Tigers.
At Mizzou, English broke into the starting lineup his Freshman year and stayed there for his four years of college. During his Senior season, he earned the Big 12 Most Outstanding Player while averaging 23 ppg in the conference tournament while leading to a conference championship, thus bookending his career with the Tigers with Big 12 Tournament titles.
He was already perfect at interviewing before he ever became a coach. You can just tell that he has that leadership quality to him, even back in his college playing days.
English was picked by the Detroit Pistons with the 44th pick in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft.
He bounced around from the League to the G League to Italy to France and to Venezuela before making the transition into coaching. In a testament to what kind of player and more importantly, person, he was at Missouri, he joined the coaching staff of his former college coach, Frank Haith, who had moved on to be the head coach of Tulsa. After two season under Haith, he made his way to Colorado under Tad Boyle, who is still coaching the Buffaloes to this day. English was at this stop for another two year stint before moving up once more, this time to become an assistant for former Providence Friars coach Rick Barnes at Tennessee. Keeping up his trend of two year stints in places as an assistant and following in Barnes’ footsteps, English became the head coach of George Mason in 2021. You’ll never guess, but after two years as the head coach at Mason, English took another page out of Barnes’ career path and went from the Patriots to the Friars.
English arrives in Providence after singing a 6-year deal to take over as the new head coach in Friartown. Much like his playing days at Mizzou, he likes to play a style of basketball that emphasizes three-point shooting and if you play for English, you need to be able to shoot and defend.
Here is English’s opening statement and answering some questions for the first time with the Providence media.
Even though he signed his new contract at 2 AM EST, he got immediately to work, contacting current Friar players and coming out running on the recruiting trail. He has already contact Garwey Dual and a handful of offers have been handed out to guys he was recruiting while at George Mason. There might even be a player or two following their coach from George Mason to Providence as well. His introductory press conference is scheduled for Wednesday where he will be introduced with new Women’s Basketball Coach Erin Bathh. I love this dude’s hustle, energy, and just the way he carries himself. Contrary to Ed Cooley’s “All About Ed” approach to his introduction to Georgetown, English was talking up everybody and anybody else and, you know, not referring to himself in the third person. Which is a thing I like people not to do.
This is the real quote that got me pumped for the upcoming season.
Also, I think hate is back in a big way for Big East basketball. And I kind of love it.
Let’s motherfucking go!
The Morning Hangover 