Providence College has finalized a deal to make George Mason University’s Kim English the Friars’ next head basketball coach, sources told ESPN.
English will ink a six-year contract, according to sources. The program had zeroed in on English as their lead candidate in the seven days leading up to Ed Cooley’s departure for Georgetown University, sources told ESPN, and an agreement was reached overnight into Thursday.
English spent the past two seasons as George Mason’s head coach, going 14-16 in 2021-22 before making a dramatic improvement to 20-13 overall this season. The Patriots finished this season by winning their final six contest of the regular season and their opening game of the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament before falling to Saint Louis.
After high school, the Baltimore, Maryland, native attended Notre Dame Preparatory School in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, where he averaged 17.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game in the 2007–08 season.
English is a former star player at the University of Missouri, where he helped lead the Tigers to 107 victories and four NCAA tournament appearances. He was a two-time All-Big 12 selection at Missouri, averaging 11.1 points in his career. Selected in the second round of the 2012 NBA draft by the Detroit Pistons, he spent three seasons playing professionally in the United States and overseas.
English got his coaching start as an assistant at Tulsa under his former college coach, Frank Haith. He then spent two seasons at Colorado under Tad Boyle before joining Rick Barnes’ staff at Tennessee.
English, 34 years-of-age, will follow in his former boss’ footsteps, as Barnes also once made the move from George Mason to Providence back in 1988.
At Providence, English will replace Cooley, who left the school earlier this week after leading the Friars to seven NCAA tournament appearances in 12 seasons.
Sources say English will be introduced to the Friars community on
Wednesday, March 29.
