Norfolk State men’s basketball head coach Robert Jones announced Tuesday the promotion of NSU alum Steven Whitley to assistant coach. Whitley, entering his third year on the Spartans’ staff in 2023-24, was the team’s director of basketball operations for the last two seasons.
A former Norfolk State star on the court, Whitley has transitioned seamlessly to the sidelines over the past two years. Since his addition to the NSU coaching staff, Norfolk State has compiled a 46-18 overall record, advanced to two MEAC Tournament championship games, and earned one NCAA Tournament berth.
“I’m so happy to give Steven this title,” Jones said. “He has come a long way, from his playing days to now being an up-and-coming coach in this profession! He deserves this.”
Norfolk State notched its second consecutive campaign with over 20 wins in 2022-23, led by two-time MEAC Player of the Year Joe Bryant Jr. The Spartans performed exceptionally during multiple showcase opportunities in the regular season, going undefeated at the ATL Has Something to Say HBCU Challenge, Boost Mobile HBCU Challenge, and Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to become an assistant coach of a program that I grew up under,” Whitley said. “I appreciate Coach Jones for giving me a position straight out of college. I will continue to do my part to make sure the program keeps trending upward as we strive to continue the success that we’ve established here over the last decade.”
Whitley earned his way into Norfolk State’s 1,000-point club as a player, despite playing just three seasons with the school, after starting his career at Robert Morris. He earned third-team All-MEAC honors in both his redshirt junior and redshirt senior seasons. During the former, he led the Spartans to an 80-79 upset win over Alabama in the NIT First Round.
Whitley graduated from Norfolk State in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in business management. A Norfolk native, he attended Booker T. Washington High School prior to his collegiate career.
Whitley promoted to Assistant Basketball Coach at Norfolk State
