Obviously the departure of Orlando Antigua was anticipated for some time. Even if Memphis can’t make an official announcement for a few days.
Though Antigua has accepted the job in principle, the university can’t announce his hiring until the formal processes are complete. Once official, Antigua will join Josh Pastner and John Robic on John Calipari’s bench.
Antigua, a native of The Bronx, will serve as the Tigers’ primary recruiting contact in the New York area. He replaces Chuck Martin (also a Bronx native), who left in April to take the head coaching job at Marist.
He has to get “official” rubberstamp approval from the Memphis President and Board of Regents.
So, that means Pitt can’t actually say what happened to Orlando Antigua, in the press release they put out the same day announcing Brandin Knight being promoted to replace Antigua.
University of Pittsburgh head men’s basketball coach Jamie Dixon announced the promotion of Brandin Knight to assistant coach on Friday evening. A former Pitt star and All-America point guard, Knight has spent the previous two seasons on Pitt’s coaching staff, working last year as its Director of Basketball Operations and serving as Program Assistant/Video Coordinator in 2006-07.
“Brandin has always been a tremendous asset to our program,” Dixon said. “As a player, Brandin proved to be a coach on the floor and he has developed through the years into an outstanding basketball coach. He has been a terrific role model for our players and he was instrumental in turning our program around. He has been approached for numerous assistant coaching positions and has remained loyal to Pitt.”
“As one of college basketball’s elite point guards, Brandin Knight was a vital catalyst in turning Pitt Basketball into the power that it is today,” Pitt Athletic Director Steve Pederson said. “He is an incredibly gifted basketball mind who will be a major asset as a teacher of the game, as well as a recruiter. Brandin was born to play point guard and we’ll soon see he was born to coach too.”
Yes, Dixon “announced” from Hawaii.
“I always said when he was a player he was a coach on the floor,” Dixon said last night from Hawaii, where he is vacationing with his family.
“I’ve always said he’s the smartest player I’ve ever coached. And, if you talk to our administrative people, they’ve been very impressed with him the past few years as well. The timing is good. He’s more than ready.”
There’s just some paperwork, and clearly Coach Dixon wasn’t even going to pretend that he was looking for someone else.
I guess I’m a little surprised Coach Dixon didn’t at least talk to some other candidates. Pitt needs someone to really be able to work NY/NJ. It’s tough enough recruiting in that area with teams like Kansas, Duke, Memphis, UNC and everyone else. Plus in the Big East with Pitino, Boeheim, Wright plus Huggins and Hill at Rutgers having an impact.
Apparently Brandin Knight has been impressing people and has the confidence of the coach. Considering the success of assistant coaches hired by Dixon, I’m not about to say his instincts/decision-making on this is wrong. He’s clearly got something working.
