LSU men’s basketball coach Johnny Jones completed his coaching staff for the 2015-16 season on Tuesday by naming former NBA championship winning assistant coach Brendan Suhr as the Tigers’ new Associate Coach.
Suhr, who is the founder and president of the speaking and consulting firm Off the Court, Inc., has been a part of the University of Central Florida basketball staff since 2010. He has served as both an assistant coach and the Director of Program Development for the Knights.
The LSU appointment is subject to the completion of a background check and formal approval by the LSU Board of Supervisors.
Suhr is one of the most respected figures in basketball and spent over 25 years as a coach and executive in the National Basketball Association. Suhr won a pair of NBA titles as an assistant in Detroit when the Pistons claimed back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990 under head coach Chuck Daly.
“We are very excited with the addition of Coach Brendan Suhr to our coaching staff,” said Coach Jones on the hiring. “He brings a great deal of experience with a wealth of knowledge that will certainly be very beneficial and impactful for our LSU basketball program and players. We look forward to him starting here this week as we begin to prepare for our upcoming trip and games in Australia.”
The Tigers will begin the allotted NCAA practices this weekend in preparation for an Aug. 11 departure for Australia where they will play five games against teams from the country’s National Basketball League (Sydney Kings, Melbourne United) or area pro all-star teams. Coach Suhr will be available and coaching with the staff on the trip.
“I had seen LSU play a lot in the past year, and I’ve been watching them since Johnny (Jones) has been back for his three years,” said Coach Suhr. “I’m very impressed with what he has done with this program. Philosophically, in our visits over the last month, we are totally on the same page, basketball-wise. It’s a great honor for me to be involved with a program that is on a rise like this in a great, great conference with good young talent, but also with a terrific coaching staff and a guy that I just think the world of.”
While at UCF, Suhr helped the Knights record three 20-win seasons and earn two trips to postseason tournaments.
Before joining the UCF staff and besides starting Off the Court, Inc., Suhr worked with Kevin Eastman to create and manage Coaching U, a leadership, learning and coaching development group. Additionally, he authored the book “Chuck Daly Coaching U.”
He also was the head scout for the gold-medal United States “Dream Team” at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games and the assistant coach for two NBA All-Star Games (1988, 1990).
During his time in the NBA, Suhr assisted Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame coaches Chuck Daly, Hubie Brown and Lenny Wilkens. He also coached Hall of Famers Adrian Dantley, Joe Dumars (a Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame member), Dennis Rodman, Isiah Thomas and Dominique Wilkens. Suhr coached in over 2,500 NBA games, beginning in 1979 with a nine-year stint with the Atlanta Hawks. He assisted in Detroit from 1988-92, the New Jersey Nets for two seasons (1992-94), the Toronto Raptors (1996-97) and the Orlando Magic (1997-99).
Suhr served as VP/Director of Player Personnel for Detroit in 1999-2000 and then was an assistant coach the following season. His final NBA stop was from 2004-07 as Assistant Coach/Director of Player Personnel for the New York Knicks.
For nine seasons, he served as the Vice President of the NBA Coaches Association.
Suhr began his coaching career in college as an assistant at the University of Detroit before moving to Fairfield University. He spent five seasons at Fairfield and earned his master’s degree in education administration in 1979. Suhr played at Montclair State, where he received his undergraduate degree in 1973.
Photo Courtesy UCF Athletics
