Memphis Tigers Hiring Father of 3 Future Recruits as Assistant Coach

Submitted by Marley Nowell on

"Keelon Lawson is the head coach at Hamilton High in Memphis and is the last coach to lead a city school to a state title while going unbeaten in the largest classification. He played at UAB and LeMoyne-Owen and spoke to at least two other schools (including Vanderbilt) about potentially joining their coaching staffs."

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/11222556/memphis-…

It seems that on those credentials alone it would seem fair for him to be hired as an asst. coach at Memphis.  It also doesn't hurt that...

 

"He is the father of three heralded recruits. The oldest, K.J. Lawson, is a 6-foot-7 wingranked 37th in the country by ESPN.com. He has committed to play at Memphis.

Dedric Lawson is a 6-8 power forward in the Class of 2016 who is ranked seventh in the countryby ESPN.com. Chandler Lawson is a 6-6 wing who is ranked No. 1 overall in the Class of 2019 by one recruiting site. Jonathan Lawson is a sixth-grader who one coach said "may be the best of all of the brothers."

 

While this seems kind of shady its also the best of both worlds.  Memphis is hiring a coach that has done well at the HS level, is a former D1 player, and had developed 3 of his sons into highly rated prospects...while also possible securing the commitments of said prospects.  As long as all 4 children are allowed their freedom and not forced to choose Memphis this is a good move.

umfan323

July 16th, 2014 at 3:46 PM ^

I think this is a smart move on Memphis part... 4 potential studs if the 6th grader is as good as advertised... he must have good genes

Sllepy81

July 16th, 2014 at 3:53 PM ^

I'm ok with it, I can run off a list of other schools and coaches t g at disgust me for doing it but Memphis doesn't bug me. maybe he wants to actually continue coaching them rather then just get a job out of the use of the kids.

Real Tackles Wear 77

July 16th, 2014 at 3:59 PM ^

Just to note, this is 100% legal under NCAA rules as long as a team is using one of their 3 asst. coaching spots for the parent and not if the parent is classified as an administrative position/dir. basketball ops, etc. This essentially prevents a school from indirectly paying for a recruit, as each of the limited assistant jobs serves a very valuable purpose. Basically the exact same thing happened at Temple with Rick/Jalen Brunson.

Farnn

July 16th, 2014 at 4:18 PM ^

Considering he has 3 kids ranked that highly it would indicate that he's pretty good at developing players.  Sure genetics play a role, and AAU coaches and such, but he was clearly doing something right when they were little kids/middle school level.

Committed

July 16th, 2014 at 4:29 PM ^

There should be a stipulation that if your hired at a college for a direct position in a sports program...your kids cannot be recruited to the school employing the parent.



This is shady...we all know the motives behind it

Huma

July 16th, 2014 at 4:50 PM ^

But what is the real problem here?  In any normal industry or free market people are free to curry favor with others by doing things like this.  We have all just been conditioned by the NCAA that college athletes are amateur and any money or benefits they somehow get from the fact they are a good athlete must be an awful thing.  I call bullshit.  

WolvinLA2

July 16th, 2014 at 6:02 PM ^

I don't get why this is a problem.  You want to make a rule that says players can't play for their dad in college?  What a dumb rule that would be.  Or is the rule that a qualified HS coach cannot take a job at the college level if his kids are good at the sport he coaches?  The things you're proposing are ludicrous.

And haven't assistant coaches been hired for their ability to recruit all the time?  MSU just hired an asst FB coach with huge connections in Detroit.  No one thought that was shady, everyone said that was smart.  And his connections were to many talented players, not just his own kids.

 

Evil Empire

July 16th, 2014 at 4:29 PM ^

thinking that Memphis was hiring three new assistants, each of whom is a father of a future recruit.  I was impressed at their enterprise.  The actual story is no big deal imho.  Is it really that different from Penn State hiring Larry Johnson?

Steve in PA

July 17th, 2014 at 9:09 AM ^

Depending on how things are done the 6h grade kid could be the same age as a normal 8th grader.  There's a local school here that commonly "redshirts" their athletes.  Several members of the state chamionship baseball team are 19yo juniors.

MAAR of the incoming basketball class will be 20 before he arrives on campus for his freshman year.

Lovar Borton

July 16th, 2014 at 9:22 PM ^

It's just a coincidence. Why does everyone always have to get on their case? I'm sure they look forward to having this gentleman around for a decade or more.