ETSU men’s basketball announced that former Kent State basketball star Jalen Avery (Covington, Kentucky) would be added to the coaching staff for the upcoming season as a graduate assistant.
Avery, a former Mid-American Conference champion, managed to help lead his team to a NCAA Tournament berth in 2017.
And while Avery’s success on the court is recognized, his mindset and passion for basketball played a bigger role in seizing the opportunity to coach in Johnson City.
The Kentucky native’s reputation and attitude allowed Avery to pave a path from Kent State to ETSU.
“Thanks to relationships, I earned recommendations,” Avery said. “I definitely wanted to get into coaching and coach Shay gave me the opportunity.”
It did not take long for the 2019 graduate to find a coaching role, as coach Shay adds his second former player to the mix of graduate assistants.
While Avery did not play in the Southern Conference, he plans to use his past experiences playing basketball to set the team ahead of the competition.
“Playing at the college level allowed me to learn what it meant to be a part of a team and win,” said Avery. “Early on, I found a way to be an asset for the program, whether I was playing or on the bench.”
As Avery begins to prepare his team for the upcoming season, the coach admits that his return to basketball is a bit of fresh air.
“It’s exciting to just be back around college basketball,” said Avery.
The Bucs finished first in the Southern Conference last season. Avery’s playing experience should prove to be beneficial as ETSU attempts to claim another conference throne in 2021.
The expectations are clear, but Avery admits that other pieces will have to come together first and foremost before the Bucs start competing for another Southern Conference Championship.
“We have everything that we need to be able to win,” said Avery. “It’s important that we put everything together and buy into the process.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.