UCF men’s basketball head coach Johnny Dawkins has announced Wednesday that Robbie Laing and Mamadou N’Diaye have been promoted to associate head coaches.
“We’re excited to promote Robbie and Mamadou to associate head coaches. Both have been key contributors to our staff and have really showed their ability to work with our student-athletes to raise their level on and off the court.” JOHNNY DAWKINS, UCF MEN’S BASKETBALL HEAD COACH
Laing has been with Dawkins since the beginning of his tenure at UCF, as both are entering their ninth season guiding the Knights. Laing led the charge in the recruitment of Taylor Hendricks and Tyler Hendricks, both of whom joined the team’s roster for the 2022-23 season. He has maintained a strong relationship with the twins and their family since they started high school. Taylor went on to lead the team in scoring, blocks and a multitude of other categories in a phenomenal freshman campaign, one that led to him becoming the program’s first one-and-done, as well as first lottery pick in the NBA Draft. Taylor was selected ninth overall in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz, the second of UCF’s selections in the modern draft era.
“I’m honored that Coach Dawkins has appointed me to serve in this capacity. His standards and expectations are high. We have worked tirelessly together to elevate UCF basketball.” ROBBIE LAING, UCF MEN’S BASKETBALL ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH
Laing has been a coach at the collegiate level since Dawkins’ first year as a collegiate player, beginning his journey with Troy in 1982. Five different assistant coach stops led to his first head coaching gig in 1996 at Jones County Community College. He then was an assistant coach two additional stops, including Kansas State, before returning to a head coaching opportunity for 10 seasons at Campbell. He then went to be an assistant coach at FAU before ultimately earning a spot on Dawkins’ inaugural UCF staff.
N’Diaye is heading into his fourth season with the Knights and is largely responsible for landing the highest-rated recruit in the program’s history. He led the charge in the recruitment of Moustapha Thiam, who became the first five-star recruit to commit to the program before reclassifying to join the Knights for the 2024-25 season. N’Diaye has laid a strong foundation in recruiting international players, including laying a pipeline from his home continent of Africa. He also played a big role in teaching UCF’s former top recruit in Taylor Hendricks, as N’Diaye primarily works with the Knights’ forwards and centers.
“I am so grateful to Coach Dawkins for promoting me to associate head coach. I couldn’t ask for a better leader to grow as a person and as a coach. I truly believe that with the help of God and Coach Dawkins’ leadership, we will take UCF men’s basketball to new heights and become one of the premier basketball programs in the country.” MAMADOU N’DIAYE, UCF MEN’S BASKETBALL ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH
N’Diaye was the first Senegalese player to be selected in the NBA Draft when he was chosen 26th overall by the Denver Nuggets in 2000. He went on to play for the Toronto Raptors (2001-03), Dallas Mavericks (2003-04), Atlanta Hawks (2003-04) and Los Angeles Clippers (2004-05). N’Diaye was a four-year standout at Auburn and enjoyed a 10-year professional career before joining the coaching ranks. He broke into coaching with Coastal Carolina in 2011 as an assistant coach before being hired by Georgia Tech for two seasons from 2014-16. He then was an associate coach at San Francisco for two seasons before coming to Orlando for the 2021-22 campaign.
UCF recently released its non-conference schedule, as well as the matrix for their Big 12 home and away opponents.
https://ucfknights.com/news/2024/09/11/laing-ndiaye-promoted-to-associate-head-coaches
