Oklahoma head men’s basketball coach Porter Moser named six members of the Sooners’ coaching and support staff on Friday, assembling a group of proven winners who are committed to the culture Moser is building in Norman.
In structuring his staff, Moser has hired K.T. Turner as associate head coach and Emanuel Dildy as an assistant coach. He’s also added Matt Gordon as special assistant to the head coach and director of scouting and Clayton Custer as director of video operations and player development. Mike Shepherd continues to serve as director of basketball operations while Bryce Daub maintains his role as director of strength and performance.
Both Turner and Dildy bring strong resumes to Norman as development-focused coaches and recruiters in the key regions of Chicago, Dallas and throughout the Midwest.
“When assembling a coaching staff at Oklahoma, our top priority has been identifying coaches who are aligned with the culture and energy we desire to put forth every day in the job,” said Moser. “K.T. Turner and Emanuel Dildy are both cultural fits and all-around great coaches. They are the whole package when it comes to on-the-floor coaching, building relationships and high-level recruiting. We’re thrilled to have them join our program and get to work.”
No stranger to Big 12 country, Turner joins the OU staff with plenty of coaching experience in the region. He has spent 15 of the last 16 seasons coaching in Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas.
Turner joins Oklahoma from the University of Texas, where he served one season as associate head coach on a Longhorns squad that captured the 2021 Big 12 tournament title. He spent the previous seven seasons at SMU developing deep recruiting ties in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
“I’m so excited to work with K.T.,” said Moser. “I’ve watched his ascent in coaching from afar and he’s one of the most respected up-and-coming coaches in our profession. He’s earned that respect through his incredible hard work, energy on the floor and relationships in so many key parts of the country. He has experience coaching in the Big 12 and recruiting throughout Oklahoma, Texas and surrounding regions.”
Turner began his seven-year stretch at SMU as an assistant on legendary coach Larry Brown’s staff. He spent the next four seasons as associate head coach under Tim Jankovich. The Mustangs totaled a 160-71 (.693) record during Turner’s tenure, winning two regular-season American Athletic Conference titles and making two NCAA Tournament appearances.
SMU saw 15 all-conference selections during Turner’s seven seasons – the most of any AAC team during that stretch. He played an integral part in recruiting and mentoring three NBA Draft picks and three AAC Players of the Year.
He also has coaching experience as an assistant at Wichita State (2012-13), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (2011-12), Hutchinson Community College (2009-11), Cowley College (2008-09), Northern Arizona (2007-08), Redlands Community College (2006-07) and Panola Community College (2005-06).
Turner returns to Oklahoma where he excelled as a player at Oklahoma City University, leading the Stars to the 2002 Sooner Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament titles. In his one-year stint at Redlands Community College in El Reno he helped guide the Cougars to a 29-2 record as an assistant.
“I’m really excited to be back in the state of Oklahoma and work for Coach Moser,” said Turner. “He did a fantastic job at Loyola, getting to the Final Four and Sweet 16s. He’s a very consistent coach. I’m just excited and think we can do a lot of great things here at OU. I look forward to getting aligned with Coach Moser’s culture and coaching style. We’re going to do some special things.”
Boasting both familiarity with Moser’s coaching philosophy and deep Midwestern roots, Dildy has over a decade of coaching experience. He has established himself as a strong recruiter with many ties to the Chicago area, where he has spent most of his coaching career.
Dildy previously served on Moser’s staff for three seasons at Loyola University Chicago (2013-16) and helped lay the groundwork in both recruiting and player development for Loyola’s run to the 2018 Final Four following his departure.
“Emanuel was a previous member of my coaching staff and played an integral part in recruiting key players on Loyola’s Final Four team,” said Moser. “He has an unbelievable energy level to him in all facets of the job. He knows me well and has tremendous familiarity with how I coach, recruit and scout. He’s built a national reputation as both a coach and as a recruiter.”
Dildy joins the OU staff from Northwestern, where he has spent the previous three seasons. At NU, Dildy was instrumental in assembling the highest-rated recruiting class in school history, which included a pair of top-100 signees in the 2021 class.
In addition to his work at Northwestern and Loyola, Dildy also brings assistant coaching experience from stops at Valparaiso (2017-18), Missouri (2016-17) and Eastern Illinois (2012-13). Dildy’s coaching career started at Kennedy-King College in Chicago, where he served as an assistant coach for two seasons (2008-10) before spending two seasons as head coach (2010-12).
“I am grateful and excited to be a part of the Sooner family and look forward to contributing to the established winning culture,” said Dildy. “I am thrilled at the opportunity to reunite with Coach Moser and look forward to assisting him in pushing OU basketball to even greater heights.”
Moser is expected to fill his third assistant position in the coming weeks.
Gordon and Custer join the Sooners after serving on Moser’s staff at Loyola. The duo brings tremendous familiarity to Moser’s coaching philosophy and culture.
“It’s super exciting to bring in two guys who helped create the culture at Loyola to help establish our program here at Oklahoma,” said Moser. “Matt Gordon has been with me for 17 years. I don’t think there’s anyone who knows me better in this profession. He knows how we do things on the floor and in the office. He’s loyal, hard-working and all about the culture.
“Clayton Custer was so integral in building a championship program at Loyola. He was what young players aspire to be. He was an honorable mention All-American, Academic All-American, Missouri Valley Player of the Year and a starting point guard in the Final Four. He has such a bright mind and is going to be a great resource for both our players and recruits.”
Gordon has been on staff with Moser every season since 2008, where he served as director of basketball operations for Saint Louis. He followed Moser to Loyola where the two continued to work together as Gordon spent three seasons as director of basketball operations and seven as an assistant coach. He was an assistant on Loyola’s 2018 Final Four squad and 2021 Sweet 16 team.
One of the most accomplished players under Moser, Custer comes to OU after serving as the director of player development at Loyola. One of the most decorated athletes to play for Moser, Custer boasted a three-year career as a player for the Ramblers (2016-19). As a point guard he led Loyola to 70 wins, two Missouri Valley Conference regular season championships and the 2018 Final Four. Following an overseas career, he joined Moser’s staff in 2020.
Shepherd is entering his 11th season as OU’s director of basketball operations while Daub begins his seventh campaign as director of strength and performance. The duo played a vital role in Oklahoma’s sustained success under Lon Kruger, aiding the Sooners in reaching seven of the last eight NCAA Tournaments.
“I’ve known Shep for years,” said Moser. “I can’t imagine there’s anyone who knows the lay of the land of OU Athletics and Oklahoma Basketball better than Mike Shepherd. There’s tremendous value in having someone with his knowledge, experience and loyalty on our staff. He’s so well respected in this profession for having spent almost three decades of working with Coach Kruger. I consider myself lucky to be able to retain him.
“I feel the same way about Bryce Daub. He has a tremendous reputation. The staff at Oregon raves about him, as do coaches in the NBA. He has an energy level about him that’s essential in a strength coach. He’s so high level in what he does and he’s mastered getting guys better. He pours his energy into developing players. Players and recruits can look to him to get better, stronger and faster.”
Shepherd holds 30 years of experience on coaching and support staffs, including the last 10 years at OU. He has been a part of 16 NCAA Tournament runs with experience at Florida, Illinois, UNLV, OU and the Atlanta Hawks.
Daub has been with the Sooners for the past six seasons and has previous experience with Oregon men’s basketball and the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was instrumental in the design and creation of OU’s state-of-the-art Griffin Family Performance Center.
Moser was named the 15th head coach in OU men’s basketball history on April 3 and has been hard at work assembling his staff ever since. Over the last four seasons at Loyola, Moser claimed three regular season Missouri Valley Conference titles, won six NCAA Tournament games, secured two Sweet 16 berths and reached the 2018 Final Four.
Oklahoma Men’s Basketball Staff Update
