University of Tulsa Head Basketball Coach Frank Haith announced today that Kim English has been promoted to assistant coach. English has served as the program’s Director of Player Development since June.
English recently completed his first season at TU, one in which the Golden Hurricane won 20 games and played in the NCAA Tournament. Prior to joining the staff at Tulsa, English spent three years playing professional basketball, and played at Missouri from 2008-12, including his senior season for Haith.
“Kim has a tremendous future in this business,” Haith said. “I saw his future potential as a coach when he was a player for me at Missouri. Anyone who has met Kim sees his personality, and his ability to be an effective recruiter. He will be really good on the floor with our guys, and I think the sky is the limit for him as a coach. Kim will be able to use his experience of playing for me and lend his perspective to all of our new players, and really help speed up the growth and education process.”
English was drafted with the 44th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. He played in 41 games during the 2012-13 season, and spent most of the following two years playing basketball overseas. He joined the basketball staff at TU in June 2015.
“I’m honored and grateful to be named assistant coach here at the University of Tulsa and I want to thank Coach Haith, Dr. Gragg and Dr. Upham for entrusting me with this incredible opportunity,” English said. “Coach Haith is a mentor to me. He has meant so much to me in my development, first as a player and person, now as a coach, and as a husband to my wife, Jessica. I am excited to build relationships with prospective student-athletes, locally, nationally and globally, and to aid in their development, first and foremost as men, and then exhaust every resource we have to help them become the best basketball player that they can be.”
English averaged 11.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals during his four-year career at Missouri. He totaled 1,570 points, ranking 13th in program history. He earned third-team All-Big 12 honors in 2010 and 2012, and was named to the USA Today All-Improved Team and the USBWA All-District Team in 2010.
In 2012, English averaged 14.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.3 steals, and ranked fifth in the Big 12 with 78 3-point field goals, while leading Missouri to a 30-5 record and a berth in the NCAA Tournament in Haith’s first season. He was named Most Outstanding Player of the Big 12 Tournament, averaging 23.0 points and shooting 78 percent during the Tigers’ championship run. He scored 10.0 points with 3.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.2 steals as a junior in 2011. He led the Tigers in scoring as a sophomore in 2009-10 with a 14.0 average, while adding 3.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals per contest.
After his time with the Pistons, English played basketball in Europe, including stints with Montepaschi Siena in Italy, and Chorale Roanne Basket, Nancy Basket and Cholet Basket in France, and most recently Guaros De Lara BBC in Venezuela. He also spent time with the Orlando Magic summer league squad in 2014, and was invited to the Chicago Bulls training camp in 2014.
The University of Tennessee officially announced today the hiring of former Tulsa assistant coach Michael Schwartz. Schwartz spent the 2015-16 season at TU, helping guide the Hurricane to an NCAA Tournament appearance.
