

The Rising Coaches Podcast
Rising Coaches
From young assistants to head coaches, Rising Coaches sits down with some of the brightest minds in basketball to talk about their rise through the profession and what they are working on now.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 8, 2024 • 50min
Episode 82: Larry Shyatt, Former NCAA and NBA Coach
Larry Shyatt is a prestigious coach in the industry, as a former NCAA head coach and NBA assistant. Coach Shyatt has an extensive background, following his playing career at The College of Wooster, Shyatt took his first coaching gig at Akron University which would lead to Utah, Cleveland State, New Mexico, Providence, Clemson and Florida all in assistant roles while holding head coaching titles at Wyoming, Clemson and most recently Wyoming. Coach Shyatt recently held a stint with the Dallas Mavericks as an assistant coach in the NBA while receiving Co-Coach of the year awards in his career and holding a 117-68 overall head coaching record.

Aug 5, 2024 • 1h 8min
Episode 81: Brad Brownell, Head Coach, Clemson University
Brad Brownell is the current Head Coach at Clemson University. Coach Brownell started his coaching career, following his playing career at DePauw University. He landed an assistant role with Evansville which would lead into Indianapolis and UNC Wilmington which would turn into landing his first head job at UNC Wilmington, then Wright State and where he currently stands as the all time most winningest head basketball coach at Clemson University. Brownell has attained 2 CAA regular season and 2 tournament championships, along with a Horizon League tournament and regular season championship and received 3 coach of the year awards. We are excited to be joined with a legendary coach.

Aug 1, 2024 • 48min
Episode 80: Caroline McCombs, Women's Head Coach, George Washington University
Caroline McCombs is the current Women’s Head Coach at George Washington University. McCombs has been in the coaching industry for nearly 25 years, starting her coaching career at Valparaiso University, which would lead her into assistant roles at University of Pitt, Northwestern and Auburn. Shortly after her stint at Auburn, McCombs would become the head coach at Stony Brook University for nearly 7 years and would lead her into her current role, as Head Coach at George Washington University. While at GW, McCombs has helped lead the charge to the national rankings setting records for made 3s in a single season and landing top recruits in the nation. We are excited to learn more from such a great coach.

Jul 29, 2024 • 48min
Episode 79: Thad Matta, Head Coach, Butler University
Thad Matta a legendary coach and the current Head Coach at Butler University. Coach Matta has a current overall head coaching record at 471 wins to 187 loses with a 71% win percentage for his career. Coach Matta started his career at Indiana State as a GA and moved up the chain to various places including Butler, Miami and Western Carolina all in assistant roles. Matta’s head coaching stint started at his alma mater, Butler and then led him to Xavier, Ohio State and back to Butler University. Matta has earned 3 Big Ten, 1 Atlantic 10 and 1 Horizon League Coach of the Year awards including numerous NCAA and Final Four appearances including 8 regular season championships and 7 conference tournament championships.

Jul 25, 2024 • 43min
Episode 78: Trent Michaels, Director of Basketball Operations, West Virginia University
Trent Michaels is the current Director of Basketball Operations at West Virginia University. Coach Michaels has started and grown in various positions at WVU, starting as the Student Manager and going to a Head Student Manager, Graduate Assistant, Coordinator of Basketball Operations and now the Director of Basketball Operations. Coach Michaels is a young coach on the rise and has shown tremendous growth and patience throughout his career all while at WVU. We are excited to learn from a young coach on the rise.

Jul 22, 2024 • 54min
Episode 77: Jonathan Metzger-Jones, Assistant Coach, University of California, Davis
Jonathan Metzger-Jones is the current Assistant coach at the University of California, Davis. Following Coach Jones’s professional playing career in Europe, including Switzerland, Denmark and Finland, Jones would take a position as the Director of Basketball Operations at Cal State for his first coaching gig. Following Cal State, he held positions at UC Santa Barbara, University of Montana and UC Davis all in the assistant roles. Coach Jones has recruited and mentored multiple players who have gone on into the NBA while also helping his program at UC Davis set numerous records throughout his time there. Coach Jones has a ton of success as a coach and knows what it takes to be able to move up in the industry.

Jul 18, 2024 • 45min
Episode 76: Brenton Petty, Director of Player Development and Assistant Coach, University of Maryland
Brenton Petty is a young coach on the rise as he is the Director of Player Development and Assistant Coach at the University of Maryland. Following Petty’s unique playing career ending at Fordham University, he took a position with Maryland to become the Graduate Assistant coach for 2 years. Following his GA role, Petty would then get a basketball operations intern role with the Detroit Pistons which would help bring him back to where it all started, as the Video Coordinator at Maryland. Petty is a young coach on the rise with a unique story.

Jul 15, 2024 • 35min
Episode 75: Patrick Bain, Assistant Women's Coach, Wright State University
Patrick Bain is a Rising Coaches member and current Assistant Women’s Basketball coach at Wright State University. Coach Bain is a young coach on the rise as he started his coaching career following his stellar playing career at Cedarville University where he was a stand out player for the Yellow Jackets. Bain then became the Assistant Coach with Cedarville on the men's side which would transition him into an assistant role onto the women’s side at Wright State. We are excited to learn more from a young coach on the rise with a wealth of knowledge of the game.

Jul 11, 2024 • 43min
Episode 74: Matt Dickman, Assistant Coach, Graceland University
Matt Dickman is a current Rising Coaches Member and Assistant Coach at Graceland University. Coach Dickman had a very noticeable rise in the industry as he started coaching at various High Schools in Arizona leading him into roles within the G League and at the college level. His collegiate coaching career started at Brownie Mackie College which would jumpstart him to Central Methodist University, Indiana University East, Buena Vista University, Sioux Falls Skyforce, Mount Marty University, Saint Louis University and his current role at Graceland University.

Jul 8, 2024 • 55min
Episode 73: Tim Kaine, Assistant Coach and Chief of Staff, LSU
Tim Kaine is the current Assistant Coach and Chief of Staff for LSU. Coach Kaine has grown through the ranks starting in high school and working his way up to being a pivotal piece of a Division 1 program. In between, Kaine made a variety of stops, including Austin Peay, Guilford College, Newberry College, Winthrop, Florida Atlantic, Georgia Southern, Murray State and where he currently stands, at LSU. Coach Kaine gives us the insight how he grew in the industry and utilized camps to help him make connections and gain his first college coaching gig.