First-year Ole Miss head basketball coach Chris Beard has finalized his staff as he continues to launch his campaign in Oxford.
Joining Beard’s staff are coaches who bring years of collegiate and professional experience to Ole Miss, as well as numerous members who have worked with the newly-hired coach previously in his career.
Assistant Coach – Wes Flanigan
Flanigan joins the Ole Miss staff by way of Auburn where he spent the previous five seasons and will coach under Beard for the second time in his career. Working primarily with the forwards while with the Tigers, Flanigan coached numerous NBA Draft selections.
Assistant Coach – Al Pinkins
This will be the second time Pinkins has coached with the Ole Miss program after he previously spent time with the Rebels from 2011-14 and will mark the second time on staff under Beard. Bringing 20 years of coaching experience including nine years in the SEC where he has coached several NBA Draft picks and NBA players, Pinkins has coached at Texas Tech, Florida, LSU, Tennessee, Ole Miss, and Middle Tennessee State.
Assistant Coach – Bob Donewald, Jr.
In his third stint working on Beard’s staff, Donewald comes to Oxford with experience as a head and assistant coach at the collegiate, professional, and national team levels. He spent the previous two seasons at Texas and was at Texas Tech under Beard for two years prior.
Special Assistant to the Coach – Win Case
Entering his sixth season at Ole Miss, Case spent the previous five years on the men’s basketball staff as an assistant before being named acting head coach on February 24, 2023. He won his first game at the helm against LSU, and helped guide the Rebels to a victory against South Carolina in the opening round of the 2023 SEC Tournament.
Analyst – Brian Burg
Another staff member to have previously worked with Beard is Burg. This will be Burg’s third time after joining Beard at Texas Tech and Little Rock. Burg spent the previous three seasons as the head coach at Georgia Southern where he was named a finalist for the Joe B. Hall Award in 2020-21, presented annually to the top first-year head coach in Division I.
Strength and Conditioning Coach – John Reilly
Joining Beard’s staff at a third school, John Reilly brings over a decade of collegiate coaching experience to Ole Miss. He has helped his teams win conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances as the head strength and conditioning coach at four prior universities. He has assisted in the development of two NCAA All-Americans, a pair of NBA first-round draft picks, and eight total NBA players.
Director of Player Development – Anthony Johnson
After spending the previous two seasons at the University of South Carolina Upstate as an assistant coach, Johnson reunites with Beard in Oxford. Prior to his time at USC Upstate, Johnson spent time as the director of development and recruiting at Georgia Southern University and was the director of player development and video coordinator at the College of Charleston.
Director of Video Operations – Derrick Mallison
A first-time member of Beard’s staff, Mallison comes to Oxford after spending the 2021-22 season as an assistant coach at South Carolina State. He was previously with Memphis for three years where he served as the video coordinator, assisting with player development in film sessions and spearheading scouting efforts.
Director of Basketball Operations – Parker Eidson
Having previously worked on Beard’s staff at Texas Tech, Eidson comes to Ole Miss after spending the previous five years at UT Arlington as the director of operations. He was a graduate assistant on Beard’s staff with the Red Raiders during the 2017-18 season during their run to the Elite Eight.
Beard and his staff inherit an Ole Miss basketball program that has not reached the NCAA Tournament since 2019.
The Rebels will tip off the 2023-2024 season in November.
