Kennesaw State has added two more to its coaching staff, as Philip Pearson has been named as the newest assistant coach, while Charles “Chuck” Davis will serve as a special assistant to the head coach, head coach Antoine Pettway announced Monday. Pearson fills the spot left by Robert Kirby, who has taken over as the head coach at his alma mater at Three Rivers College.
Pearson brings a great wealth of experience with him to the Black and Gold with 30 years at the Division I level. Most recently, he was an assistant coach at UAB for the past four seasons. While in Birmingham, he helped the Blazers to two conference tournament championships (2023-24 American Athletic, 2021-22 Conference USA) and two NCAA Tournament appearance along with another appearance in the NIT championship game. Before joining the UAB staff, Pearson worked on staffs at Clemson, Mercer, Georgia, Alabama, Murray State and Little Rock. During his 30 years, he has been a part of 19 postseason appearances (11 NCAA, eight NIT) and eight conference championships.
“I am extremely excited to add coach Pearson to our coaching staff,” said Pettway. “I have known him since I was in high school and he has been instrumental throughout my basketball journey and coaching career. Coach Pearson’s experience, ability to build relationships with student-athletes, and basketball knowledge will immediately add value to our program.”
This will be Pearson’s third stint in the Peach State, after first joining the UGA staff in 2009 and eventually rising to associate head coach under Mark Fox. He helped the Bulldogs reach the NCAA tournament twice and make three NIT appearances in his six seasons, and would coach the 2013 SEC Player of the Year and eighth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Pearson served on the coaching staff as an assistant at Alabama during Pettway’s playing career, as he was on the sidelines from 1998-09. He finished his final season in Tuscaloosa as the Crimson Tide’s interim head coach over the final 13 games, and led them to a first-round win over Vanderbilt in the 2009 SEC Tournament. Alabama played in five NCAA Tournaments during his 11 years, and reached the NCAA Elite Eight in 2004 with both Pettway and Davis as starters on the team.
Other NBA players that Pearson has coached include Trey Jemison from UAB, Hunter Tyson from Clemson, Trey Thompkins, Travis Leslie and Nic Claxton from Georgia, Gerald Wallace, Mo Williams, JaMychal Green, Alonzo Gee and Erwin Dudley from Alabama, Marcus Brown from Murray State, and Joe Stephens and Derek Fisher (Little Rock).
As a player at Alabama, Pearson played on four consecutive NCAA Tournament teams and won back-to-back SEC Tournament Championships in 1990-91. He was named the team’s recipient of the Paul Bryant Student-Athlete of the Year award and was also a member of the President’s List Academic Honor Roll. Pearson graduated from Alabama in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in human performance. He then served as an graduate assistant coach at Little Rock (1994-95) before finishing his degree at Murray State where he received a master’s degree in health, physical education and recreation in 1997 while serving as assistant coach on the coaching staff.
Davis also has connections with Pettway, as the two were teammates at Alabama while Davis was a member of the Crimson Tide from 2003-06. His junior season, Davis picked up AP All-SEC Third Team honors and was a Second-Team selection on the SEC Coaches Team while helping Alabama to a SEC West Division title and the NCAA Tournament, one of four straight appearances in the national tournament while he was on the squad. After graduating from Alabama with a degree in marketing, Davis went overseas and was considered one of the top power forwards in Europe over his 11-year professional career. Among his highlights was helping Galatasaray win the Eurocup championship in 2016.
“Chuck is another person I have known for over 20 years,” said Pettway. “Having played against him in high school and with him in college, I have witnessed firsthand his work ethic, drive and integrity. Chuck comes to us after having much success on the professional level and he is eager to invest his knowledge and experiences into our student-athletes.”
Pearson added as Assistant Basketball Coach, Davis named Special Assistant at Kennesaw State
