Just a day after Kim English was reportedly one of the “leading candidates” for the head coaching vacancy at Southeast Missouri State, Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes can reportedly breathe a sigh of relief.
According to Gabe DeArmond of PowerMizzou.com, English is expected to stay at Tennessee despite being pursued for the head coaching job at SEMO after the Redhawks fired Rick Ray two weeks ago.
Source: Tennessee assistant and former #Mizzou player Kim English opting to stay in Knoxville on Rick Barnes’ staff. English was a candidate for the head coaching job at SEMO. @Volquest_Rivals @Brent_Hubbs @Volquest_Rob
— Gabe DeArmond (@GabeDeArmond) March 18, 2020
Rick Barnes hired English last offseason after the former Missouri basketball player served as an assistant coach at Colorado for two seasons. Prior to that, English had been an assistant under Frank Haith at Tulsa.
English is viewed as a rising star in the coaching world, and the former All-Big 12 player has been a strong recruiter in his short time as an assistant. He’s been pivotal in Tennessee’s recruiting efforts in the 2021 and 2022 classes so far, particularly with in-state point guard Kennedy Chandler in the 2021 cycle.
Last offseason, English was brought on to Barnes’ staff after longtime assistant Rob Lanier left to take the head coaching position at Georgia State. Barnes promoted Michael Schwartz to Lanier’s former position of associate head coach, and Desmond Oliver received a raise as part of Barnes’ staff as well.
When English was hired last offseason, he received a contract paying him $310,000 annually. Schwartz is making $340,000 a year while Oliver makes $325,000 annually.
As a player, English scored over 1,500 points at Missouri from 2008-12 and averaged 11.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.1 steals a game. He was part of the 2009 Missouri squad that made a run to the Elite Eight. English was drafted in the second round with the 44th overall pick by the Detroit Pistons in the 2012 NBA Draft. He spent one season in the NBA before going overseas for a couple years. He returned to the NBA with the Chicago Bulls briefly before getting into coaching.
