KT Harrell, who is entering his third season with the University of Michigan men’s basketball programhas been promoted to assistant coach after helping guide the Wolverines to the 2026 NCAA National Championship. Elevated to the coaching staff following two successful seasons as Director of Basketball Operations, Harrell brings a unique blend of elite playing experience, player development expertise and championship-winning experience to Michigan.
After spending two seasons as Director of Basketball Operations under Dusty May at Florida Atlantic, Harrell followed May to Ann Arbor in 2024 in the same role. Following Michigan’s national championship season in 2025-26, Harrell was elevated to assistant coach. A former SEC scoring champion and professional player with experience under nationally respected coaches Dusty May, Bruce Pearl and Tony Bennett, Harrell has played an integral role in helping build one of the nation’s premier programs.
Since arriving in Ann Arbor, Harrell has helped build one of the most successful stretches in Michigan basketball history. Through his first two seasons on staff, the Wolverines have compiled a 64-13 record, captured the 2025 Big Ten Tournament championship, won the 2026 Big Ten regular-season title, advanced to consecutive NCAA Tournaments, reached both the Sweet 16 and Final Four, and secured the program’s first national championship since 1989.
In 2025-26, Harrell helped Michigan produce one of the greatest seasons in school history. The Wolverines established a program-record 37 victories, finished 19-1 in Big Ten play to claim the outright Big Ten championship, earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and captured the NCAA title.
During his first season in Ann Arbor, Harrell helped Michigan engineer one of the nation’s biggest turnarounds. The Wolverines improved from eight wins the previous season to a 27-10 record, won the Big Ten Tournament championship and advanced to the Sweet 16.
Prior to Michigan, Harrell spent two seasons as Florida Atlantic’s Director of Basketball Operations, helping oversee one of the most successful periods in program history. During his tenure in Boca Raton, the Owls posted a 60-13 record, won the 2023 Conference USA championship, earned a runner-up finish in the American Athletic Conference in 2024 and reached consecutive NCAA Tournaments.
The 2022-23 season became a historic campaign for Florida Atlantic as the Owls recorded a school-record 35 victories, won both the Conference USA regular-season and tournament championships, and advanced to the program’s first Final Four. FAU finished the season ranked No. 5 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
Following the Final Four run, Harrell helped the Owls successfully transition into the American Athletic Conference. FAU finished 25-9, placed second in the AAC standings and returned to the NCAA Tournament for a second straight season.
Harrell began his collegiate coaching career at Auburn, serving as a graduate assistant under Bruce Pearl from 2020-22. During his two seasons on staff, Auburn compiled a 41-20 record and captured the 2022 SEC regular-season championship. Harrell assisted with scouting, opponent preparation and player development while helping the Tigers earn an NCAA Tournament berth and a No. 2 seed in the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
Before entering coaching, Harrell enjoyed an accomplished playing career at both the collegiate and professional levels.
After beginning his career at Virginia under Tony Bennett, Harrell transferred to Auburn and became one of the most prolific scorers in program history. In just two seasons with the Tigers, he scored 1,196 points — the most by any Auburn player over a two-year span at the time. He finished his career averaging 18.4 points per game, ranking among the best marks in school history.
As a senior in 2014-15, Harrell led the SEC in scoring and earned All-SEC Second Team honors. He remains among Auburn’s all-time leaders in scoring average, free-throw percentage and three-point shooting percentage. Following his collegiate career, Harrell played professionally in Belgium, Italy and Turkey. He was the leading scorer of the 2015-16 Turkish Federation Cup and was named MVP of the 2016-17 Italian Cup.
A standout prep player at Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School in Montgomery, Alabama, Harrell earned Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year honors and was ranked among the nation’s top prospects.
Harrell earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Auburn in 2015 and completed his master’s degree in adult education in 2022. He and his wife, Krista (Clyde), have a son, Kamden (KJ), and a daughter, Siena (SiSi).
