Jamion Christian has been named as the new head basketball coach for Pallacanestro Trieste in Italy’s Lega Basket Serie A. Christian has spent ten seasons as an NCAA D1 head coach, with stops at Mount St. Mary’s, Siena, and George Washington. He has also been an assistant at VCU and William & Mary. Here is the official press release from Pallacanestro Trieste:
Jamion Christian is the new coach of Pallacanestro Trieste. An American, born in Virginia in 1982, Christian is considered one of the best up-and-coming young head coaches in college basketball in the United States.
“We are absolutely thrilled today to announce Jamion Christian as our Head Coach and leader of our basketball team” said Pallacanestro Trieste General Manager Michael Arcieri. “Jamion brings with him to Trieste sixteen years of coaching experience and competing at the highest levels, a deep passion and demonstrated ability to teach the game and develop and inspire his players and staff. His integrity, warm and engaging personality, elite ability to communicate, hunger to learn and improve each day and thirst for winning make him the ideal person to carry Pallacanestro Trieste to its brightest future. We welcome Jamion and his family to our basketball family and enchanting city and wish them happiness and great success.”
Ranked No. 14 on ESPN’s latest under-40 coaches list as of December 2022 – Jamion Christian has been the head coach of the George Washington Colonials in the NCAA championship for the past three seasons; he previously led the Siena College team and for six years the Mount St. Mary University team.
Notably, Christian led the Mount to two NCAA Tournament appearances and a 67-39 conference record in six seasons; when he took the helm at Siena he led the team to a nine-win improvement in his head coaching season over his previous one. In his fifth year at Mount St.Mary’s University, he was honored with the 2016-17 Jim Phelan Coach of the Year, and CollegeInsider.com’s Ben Jobe National Coach of the Year.
“The choice of Jamion Christian”, commented Trieste Basketball President Richard de Meo, “meets the goals of the club and the game our general manager has in mind for Trieste. It is a courageous, revolutionary choice, capable of giving substance to what is our motto: a rebirth of Pallacanestro Trieste that passes through challenge and the will to do the best. It is a choice that I am sure our fans will love in a short time, because Jamion promises to bring his exceptional style to Trieste.”
Christian is distinguished by his mayhem-style defense, a fast-paced technique focused on aggressive pressure and trapping. A defense designed to induce lost balls to opponents and several steals; extra possessions that the coach wants to turn into points by preaching ball protection and smart 3-point shot construction.
