Stanton University announced the hiring of Les Bean as the first men’s basketball coach in school history.
Bean brings a wealth of coaching experience and knowledge from 23 years of coaching at three different levels. In addition, Bean played four years professionally in Peru, Italy, and Mexico after having a standout college career at UCSB where he was a two-year starter at the point guard position under legendary Gauchos coach Jerry Pimm (1983-1998).
Bean, a native of Los Angeles, prepped at Fremont HS and had an impressive juco career at LACC, has always played with great intensity and toughness which he has brought into his coaching. After retiring from playing in 2002, Bean began his coaching career as an assistant at LACC, then a 4 year stint at Pasadena Poly before returning back to the juco ranks for Pasadena City College under long-time college coach Mike Jones, who has been coaching for more than 30 years. The dynamic duo will now be reunited at Stanton as Bean hired Jones to be the Coordinator of Basketball Operations for the Fighting Elks, while also hiring long-time and well-respected high school coach Deon Coleman as his top assistant coach.
Bean’s coaching career has been nothing short of phenomenal, and he is known as a great program builder. He spearheaded a brand new charter school program at Community Charter HS compiling over 100 wins in only five seasons while sending five players to college on basketball scholarships. From there Bean founded Future College Prep, the most successful West Coast post-graduate prep program over the last 10 years winning a whopping 329 games while sending 103 players to college including 26 players to the Division I level. 18 of Coach Bean’s players have gone on to play professionally overseas and five of those players have played in the NBA Summer League.
Bean has been one of the most highly-sought after coaches over the past 10 years on the West Coast, being pursued by numerous universities and junior college programs before accepting the Stanton coaching position on August 3rd. Coach Bean is known for his excellent in-game strategy and his ability to develop players.
Look for great things in the future as Bean works his magic to build the Fighting Elks program from the ground up and lead Stanton University as they transition from USCAA to NAIA. The inaugural season and Bean’s college debut will be Sunday, October 29th as the Fighting Elks travel to UC Merced to play the Bobcats in the season opener.
