Former Auburn standout Wes Flanigan has returned to his alma mater to join the men’s basketball staff as an assistant coach, head coach Bruce Pearl announced Monday.

Flanigan was most recently the head coach at the University of Arkansas Little Rock for the past two seasons.

“Auburn basketball is very fortunate to have been able to attract and welcome home a former great in three-time captain Wes Flanigan,” head coach Bruce Pearl said. “I‘ve known Wes and admired his work for many years as a competitor. Known as a hard-working, tough-minded, passionate basketball coach and teacher, Wes will make our student-athletes better on and off the court.”

Flanigan played with the Tigers from 1993-97 and was a four-year starter at point guard. He is the 22nd-leading scorer in program history with 1,228 points.

“Returning to Auburn is a dream come true for me,” Flanigan said. “I’ve always wanted to come back to Auburn to coach basketball at some point. I want to thank Coach Pearl and the staff for giving me this opportunity.

“I’ve followed the program from afar over the years. I know our program is at an all-time high and I am looking forward to helping this staff, these players and Coach Pearl continue the success that they have already established. I’m happy to be a part of it.”

Flanigan finished his career second in the Auburn record books with 573 assists. He is also fourth in career free throws with 338 makes from the charity stripe.

The Little Rock, Ark. native was the Southeastern Conference individual assist champion in 1996 when he dished out 214 dimes for an average of 6.7 per game.

Flanigan was named All-SEC as a junior in 1996 and was a member of the All-SEC Freshman Team in 1994.

Flanigan returns to The Plains after two stints with Little Rock, most recently as the head coach for the past two seasons.

While with the Trojans for seven seasons from 2004-08 and 2015-18, Flanigan helped Little Rock achieve new single-season program records for wins, Sun Belt Conference victories and road wins.

Flanigan and the Trojans won their first-ever outright Sun Belt title during the 2015-16 campaign and knocked off No. 5 seed Purdue in the NCAA Tournament.

The Trojans won 18 or more games twice during Flanigan’s first run in Little Rock. In the 2007-08 season, the Trojans won 20 games while he served as the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator.

After his first stint at Little Rock, Flanigan was an assistant at UAB from 2008-10 where the Blazers won 47 games and matched a program record for wins a season with 25 set in the 2009-10 campaign.

Flanigan then went on to serve in the same capacity at Nebraska for two seasons (2010-12) before joining Mississippi State from 2012-15.

Flanigan got his first start in coaching at Northwest Mississippi Community College where he was an assistant coach from 1999-2004.

The 1992-93 Gatorade High School Player of the Year, Flanigan enrolled at Auburn and was a four-year letterwinner for the Tigers. He graduated with a degree in health promotion and was the recipient of the Cliff Hare Award, presented annually to the university’s top student-athlete.

He and his wife, Katrina, have three sons: Michael Lewis, Allen and Collin.

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