UConn basketball announced Wednesday that Dwayne Killings will join the staff. (Photo courtesy @UConnMBB)
The UConn men’s basketball team has filled their open coaching vacancy by hiring Temple assistant Dwayne Killings, per a release from the school.
Killings, 35, joins Kevin Ollie’s staff as an assistant after spending five years on the bench with the Owls. He will join the program immediately.
“I am excited to welcome Dwayne Killings to the UConn family,” Ollie said. “I was very impressed with his pedigree, the different walks of life he’s been through. He’s been an assistant coach at Temple, but he’s also worked in the NBA office, and with the Charlotte franchise. All the different knowledge and basketball experience he has is invaluable. I know he will be an outstanding addition to our staff.”
Killings is regarded as a solid recruiter.
“I took notice of him when I was on the road recruiting,” Ollie said, “because he was always so professional in the way he conducted himself … how he carried himself, not only on the court, but off the court, as I saw him work at the different AAU tournaments. With his recruiting ties across the country, I think he’s going to do a great job for us. And obviously, his knowledge of the conference, being at Temple, is huge.”
Killings is a New England native and played basketball for two years at the University of Massachusetts before transferring to Hampton University, where he earned his degree in Sports Management.
“Having grown up in New England, UConn is just such a unique and special place, with such a great tradition,” Killings said. “And then, to work for someone like Kevin Ollie, is something that made the opportunity really attractive to me. He’s a young coach who has already accomplished a lot of great things. I thought we had a lot of synergy as we started to talk to each other about where he wants to go with the program and, at the same time, how he wants to try to have his staff be a part of his vision and his future and I got really excited about it. I thought it was an opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone to really be pushed to help this program continue the excellence in everything they do on and off the floor.”
Killings was with the NBA D-League, where he helped monitor player development programs and provided updates on players’ progress.
Killings’ first job in basketball after earning his college degree was a three-year position with the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets) as a special assistant, video coordinator, and assisting with player development.
“Coach Killings is a role model for our student-athletes,” Ollie said. “He’s a family man and I think that’s important. The way I believe he can communicate with our student-athletes will be important as well. Who he is as a person, that’s going to come to light in everything he does at UConn.”
Notes
Summer Friends: Several former Huskies have been picked up by NBA teams for Summer League. Ryan Boatright is with the New Orleans Pelicans, Shonn Miller is with the Utah Jazz and Sterling Gibbs was picked up by the Washington Wizards.
On the Road Again: Shabazz Napier is back on the move. The hero of UConn’s 2014 national championship run will be joining his third team in as many seasons. The Orlando Magic traded Napier to the Portland Trailblazers for cash. In 55 games with the Magic, Napier averaged 3.7 points per game.
Sources: Ray Allen considering NBA return. His reps contacted GState. Allen would also consider Cavs, Spurs, Clippers if he decides to play.
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) July 6, 2016
Comeback Season?: Ray Allen is looking for a new home. The all-time leader in made three pointers has reportedly reached out to several NBA teams in regards to a potential comeback, according to ESPN.
Elan-Paolo DeCarlo is the associate digital editor for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at elan-paolo.decarlo@uconn.edu. He tweets @ElanDeCarlo.