Northwest Nazarene University head men’s basketball coach Paul Rush has announced the addition of Rodrick Rhodes to the coaching staff to serve as an assistant coach for the Crusaders.
“We feel blessed to have Coach Rhodes join an already special group of assistants here at NNU,” Rush commented. “During my time getting to know him Coach Rhodes love for the players he has coached and their love for him came through again and again.”
Rhodes joins the Crusaders from The Cordia High School in Hazard, Kentucky where he served as the head boy’s varsity basketball coach from 2011 to 2017. The smallest high school in the state, Cordia captured the 2016 All-A Region 14 championship and then the 2016 All-A Kentucky State Tournament championship. The 2014 season was highlighted as the most winning season in school history at 24-9 and included a Region 14 championship.
“The timing of Coach Rhodes moving his family to the Treasure Valley and the timing of the coaching change here at NNU was truly God putting things in place,” Rush added. “Coach Rhodes heart lines up with not only the mission of the university but also the culture we are creating in this program.”
Prior to his high school tenure, Rhodes served as an assistant coach at the University of Texas-Pan American from 2009 to 2011 and in administrative coaching roles at both Seton Hall University (2008-09) and the University of Massachusetts (2007-2008).
No stranger to the Gem State, Rhodes served as an assistant at Idaho State University during the 2006-2007 season in Pocatello.
Rush continued, “We are blessed to have a man like Coach Rhodes with his experience coaching and playing at all levels join our program. His ability to build relationships and love his former players really stood out to me during the hiring process.”
An accomplished collegiate and professional player, Rhodes was a first-round draft pick of the Houston Rockets in 1997 following his senior season at the University of Southern California (USC) and a member of the National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Rookie team during the 1998 NBA All-Star Weekend.
His professional career included time with the NBA’s Houston Rockets, Vancouver Grizzlies and the Dallas Mavericks. In addition to his NBA experience, Rhodes played internationally in Athens, Greece and in the Philippines.
Following a stellar high school career as a McDonald’s All-American in 1992 and a three-time Parade High School All-American, Rhodes played his first three collegiate seasons at the University of Kentucky, earning All-Freshman SEC honors in his first year and All-3rd team honors as a sophomore and All-2nd team as a junior. After transferring to USC for his senior campaign, he was named the Fred Hessler Award winner as the PAC-10 Newcomer of the Year in 1997.
