LIU Makes a Late Coaching Change for Rod Strickland

College basketball coaching moves are pretty rare in late June. So unless there’s a scandal of some kind, we don’t see a lot of NCAA press conferences on the eve of the July 4 holiday weekend.

Nonetheless, LIU-Brooklyn is making an exception. The Sharks – known mainly to NEC hoops fans and hardcore college basketball betting experts – are letting go of head coach Derek Kellogg after five seasons. The LIU administration is bringing on Rod Strickland to replace him. 

NCAA Basketball: What Was Derek Kellogg’s Record at LIU?

Derek Kellogg had a 74-74 record in five years at LIU-Brooklyn. 

Kellogg has been decent but not quite memorable. He led LIU to an NCAA tournament appearance in 2018 – his first season with the team – after his team finished in fourth place in the regular season.

LIU has a history of what you might call aspirational firings. Kellogg’s predecessor, Jack Perri, was fired in 2017 after leading the program to a 20-win season. However, the administration still felt like they could improve a program in a crowded New York market by changing coaches. 

Very very late in the cycle to let guys go. I feel for the staff. There are very few D1 openings left. SCST and a few miscellaneous assistant openings here and there are all that is left. Brutal. #NECMBB https://t.co/zVT9Fo2Sbn

— Happening Hoops (@happeninghoops) June 29, 2022

Rod Strickland: LIU Is New Home After G-League Stint

Strickland has a fascinating resume to many in the online sports betting space. Immediately before the LIU news, he worked in a professional development capacity for the NBA G-League. 

Strickland has never been a head coach before, but he did work as an assistant at the University of South Florida from 2014-17. He also worked on John Calipari’s staff at Kentucky when John Wall and Eric Bledsoe were there, helping to develop them into NBA lottery picks.

Strickland is also the godfather of current NBA point guard Kyrie Irving.

Where did LIU Coach Rod Strickland Play Basketball?

Rod Strickland played in the NBA for nearly 20 seasons, from 1988-2005. 

Though he ultimately played for nine teams before he retired, he is arguably best-known for a five-year run with the Washington Wizards from 1996-2001. 

Strickland played the best professional season of his career with the Wizards in 1997-98, averaging 18 points and 11 assists per game. He led the league in assists and was selected second-team All-NBA.

Before his time in the NBA, Strickland played three years at DePaul, where he played in 87 games. He shot 53 percent for his entire college career. 

Strickland was inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008.