New Orleans Pelicans: 3 NCAA Coaches to Consider Hiring

New Orleans Pelicans Head Coaching Candidate: Anthony Grant

Anthony Grant: Dayton

If you were to ask for potential head coaching hires in the NCAA a year ago, Anthony Grant would not be on this list but that’s okay because he’s here now.

Grant has an intriguing case. He was a successful head coach at Alabama from 2009-2015 with a 117-85 record. His teams played strong defense but their offenses left much to be desired ultimately holding his teams back.

Upon being fired from Alabama, Grant actually went and got some NBA experience going back to be an assistant under his mentor Oklahoma City Thunder Head Coach Billy Donovan. Then he went back to the NCAA becoming the head coach for Dayton.

The result was a Dayton team that ranked 2nd in offensive efficiency in the entire NCAA. Grant has seemed to figure out both sides of the ball and after having some NBA experience might be the perfect coach to make the leap.

Why He Fits The Pelicans

Anthony Grant fits with the New Orleans Pelicans for a number of reasons. First, unlike the other coaches on this list, he has NBA experience which David Griffin and the front office might see as valuable.

More than his experience though, Grant seems ready to be a great coach that the Pelicans might need. His defense schemes are among the best in the game and thanks to his time with Donovan in OKC, his schemes have already shown to work in the NBA.

With the New Orleans Pelicans length and athleticism seeing this team play defense much like the Thunder has in the past would be perfect going forward.

The offense Grant runs is also perfect for enhancing this team as well. Grant at Dayton showed that he wants to play with a lot of pace, transition, and pick-and-roll. This is not much different from the Pelicans now but the variations he can add might make them even better.

If the impact Grant has had on improving a player like Obi Toppin is any indication of his development skills, then the New Orleans Pelicans might be set there too. Overall, Anthony Grant might be the safest bet for New Orleans due to some NBA experience.