Mike Anderson (basketball, born 1959) facts for kids
Anderson during his tenure at St. John's
|
|
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 12, 1959 Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1978–1980 | Jefferson State CC |
| 1980–1982 | Tulsa |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1982–1985 | Tulsa (assistant) |
| 1985–2002 | Arkansas (assistant) |
| 2002 | Arkansas (interim HC) |
| 2002–2006 | UAB |
| 2006–2011 | Missouri |
| 2011–2019 | Arkansas |
| 2019–2023 | St. John's |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 438–257 (.630) |
| Tournaments | 9–9 (NCAA Division I) 4–3 (NIT) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| C-USA regular season (2004) Big 12 tournament (2009) |
|
| Awards | |
| NABC Coach of the Year (2009) Clair Bee Coach of the Year Award (2009) C-USA Coach of the Year (2004) Big East Coach of the Year (2021) |
|
Michael Andre Anderson (born December 12, 1959) is an American basketball coach. He was most recently the head coach for the St. John's Red Storm team. Before that, he coached at UAB, Missouri, and Arkansas.
Coach Anderson also spent 17 years as an assistant coach at Arkansas under Nolan Richardson. Over his 20 years as a head coach, he has led his teams to 11 seasons with 20 or more wins. His teams also made it to the NCAA Tournament nine times. He is known for his teams' fast-paced style of play.
Contents
Playing Career
Mike Anderson grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. He went to Jackson-Olin High School. There, he was a star basketball player. He helped his team reach the state semifinals. He also earned all-state honors.
After high school, Anderson played at Jefferson State Community College. An opposing coach, Nolan Richardson, noticed his talent. When Richardson became the coach at the University of Tulsa, he offered Anderson a scholarship. Anderson played two years for the Golden Hurricane. He helped them win an NIT title. They also made it to the NCAA tournament.
Coaching Career
Starting as an Assistant Coach
After finishing college in 1982, Mike Anderson wanted to become a coach. His former coach, Nolan Richardson, hired him as a volunteer assistant at the University of Tulsa. When Richardson moved to the University of Arkansas, Anderson went with him. He worked as an assistant coach for 17 years. For the last five of those years, he was the assistant head coach.
During this time, the Arkansas Razorbacks basketball team was very successful. They won several conference championships. They also reached the Final Four three times. In 1994, they won the national championship. They finished second in 1995. When Coach Richardson left, Anderson became the interim head coach for the rest of the 2001–02 season.
Coaching at UAB
In 2002, Anderson became the head coach at the UAB. The team had not been doing well, but Anderson quickly changed that. In his first year, UAB won 22 games. They also reached the Quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament.
Anderson then led the UAB Blazers to the NCAA Tournament three years in a row. In 2004, they made it to the Sweet Sixteen. This was after they upset the top-ranked University of Kentucky team. UAB finished that season ranked 23rd in the country. Anderson was named the Conference USA Coach of the Year. He is the only coach in UAB history to take the Blazers to the postseason every year he was there.
Coaching at Missouri
First Seasons (2006–2008)
In 2006, Mike Anderson took over the basketball program at the University of Missouri. The team had been having a tough time. In his first year, his team won 18 games. However, they did not make it to the postseason.
His second season (2007–08) included his nephew, DeMarre Carroll, joining the team. The team faced some challenges with player discipline, which affected their performance. The Tigers finished with a 16–16 record. They missed out on postseason play again.
Successful Third Season (2008–09)
Anderson's third season at Missouri in 2008–09 was a big success. Many wondered how he would blend new players with the returning ones. The team was picked to finish 7th in their conference.
However, the Tigers started strong with a 9–1 record. They won against strong teams like USC and Cal. They finished their non-conference games with a 13–2 record. In conference play, they won 11 of their next 12 games. This included a thrilling last-second win against Texas. They also had a memorable win against their rival, Kansas. The Tigers came back from a 14-point halftime deficit to win.
The team finished their home games undefeated, winning 18 games. They then won the Big 12 Conference tournament. They beat Cornell, Marquette, and Memphis in the NCAA Tournament. This pushed them into the Elite Eight. Their great run ended with a loss to UConn. Anderson was recognized as one of the top coaches that year. He signed a new contract to stay at Missouri. He even turned down offers from other universities.
Final Seasons (2009–2011)
In his last two seasons at Missouri, Anderson's teams won 23 games each year. They finished fifth in their conference both times. The Tigers made it to the NCAA Tournament in both of these years. This was the first time the team had made three or more consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament since 2003. It was also the first time they had won more than 20 games three years in a row since the early 1980s.
Leaving Missouri
In March 2011, Mike Anderson's name was linked to the coaching job at Arkansas. This was because the current Arkansas coach's job was uncertain. Anderson initially said he planned to stay at Missouri for a long time.
However, on March 14, Arkansas fired their coach. Nine days later, Anderson accepted the head coaching position at Arkansas. This news surprised many Missouri fans. Anderson had told his players he would stay. He later explained his decision at a press conference in Arkansas. He said that Columbia (Missouri) had been great to him.
Coaching at Arkansas
On March 23, 2011, Mike Anderson signed a seven-year contract with the University of Arkansas. Many of his coaching staff from Missouri also joined him.
First Seasons (2011–2014)
In his first two seasons back at Arkansas, Anderson's teams had winning records. They finished 18–14 and 19–13. However, they did not make it to any postseason tournaments.
In the 2013–14 season, the Razorbacks returned to the postseason. They earned a spot in the NIT. Arkansas won 22 games that year, their best record since 2008. They also beat their rival Kentucky twice. The team played with a fast-paced style, similar to the Nolan Richardson era. They led their conference in scoring, assists, steals, and turnover margin. A young player named Bobby Portis became a star.
2014–15 Season
In January 2015, Anderson signed a two-year contract extension. He led the Arkansas team to the NCAA Tournament in his fourth season. They also reached the finals of their conference tournament. Arkansas earned a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament. This was their highest seed since 1999. They advanced to the second round before losing to North Carolina. Bobby Portis was named the SEC Player of the Year. He was later drafted by the Chicago Bulls.
2015–16 Season
On February 23, 2016, Anderson won his 100th game as Arkansas coach. It was also his 300th win overall. The Razorbacks finished the season with a 16–16 record. They lost in the second round of their conference tournament.
2016–17 Season
Anderson's sixth Arkansas team had their best start under him. They brought in talented new players. The team finished the regular season with 23 wins and 8 losses. They won six road games in their conference, which was a rare achievement for the team. They tied for third place in the league. They also reached the finals of the SEC tournament, losing to Kentucky. The Razorbacks made it to the NCAA Tournament. They won their first game against Seton Hall. They then lost to the top-seeded and eventual national champion North Carolina.
2017–18 Season
In January 2018, Anderson signed another two-year contract extension. The Razorbacks finished tied for fourth in their conference. Eight teams from their conference made it to the NCAA Tournament that year. Arkansas lost in the first round.
2018–19 Season
Anderson's eighth season with the Razorbacks saw many new players join the team. The team finished tied for ninth in their conference. They lost their first conference tournament game. They then played in the NIT, winning one game and losing one.
Leaving Arkansas
On March 26, 2019, the University of Arkansas decided to part ways with Mike Anderson. This ended his 25-year connection with the university as both an assistant and head coach. He was replaced by Eric Musselman.
Coaching at St. John's
Mike Anderson became the head coach at St. John's University on April 19, 2019. He replaced Chris Mullin.
On February 16, 2021, Anderson won his 400th game as his team defeated Xavier. Anderson was named Big East Coach of the Year for the 2020–21 season. He received a 6-year contract extension after his first two seasons at St. John's.
Leaving St. John's
St. John’s decided to end Anderson's time as head coach on March 10, 2023. This was one day after his fourth season ended with a loss in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals. After his time at St. John's ended, there was a disagreement about his contract. However, this issue was settled in 2024.
Head Coaching Record
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas Razorbacks (Southeastern Conference) (2002) | |||||||||
| 2001–02 | Arkansas | 1–1 | 1–0 | T–4th (West) | |||||
| UAB Blazers (Conference USA) (2002–2006) | |||||||||
| 2002–03 | UAB | 21–13 | 8–8 | T–2nd (National) | NIT Quarterfinal | ||||
| 2003–04 | UAB | 22–10 | 12–4 | T–1st | NCAA Division I Sweet 16 | ||||
| 2004–05 | UAB | 22–11 | 10–6 | T–4th | NCAA Division I Round of 32 | ||||
| 2005–06 | UAB | 24–7 | 12–2 | 2nd | NCAA Division I Round of 64 | ||||
| UAB: | 89–41 (.685) | 42–20 (.677) | |||||||
| Missouri Tigers (Big 12 Conference) (2006–2011) | |||||||||
| 2006–07 | Missouri | 18–12 | 7–9 | 6th | |||||
| 2007–08 | Missouri | 16–16 | 6–10 | 10th | |||||
| 2008–09 | Missouri | 31–7 | 12–4 | 3rd | NCAA Division I Elite Eight | ||||
| 2009–10 | Missouri | 23–11 | 10–6 | 5th | NCAA Division I Round of 32 | ||||
| 2010–11 | Missouri | 23–11 | 8–8 | T–5th | NCAA Division I Round of 64 | ||||
| Missouri: | 111–57 (.661) | 43–37 (.538) | |||||||
| Arkansas Razorbacks (Southeastern Conference) (2011–2019) | |||||||||
| 2011–12 | Arkansas | 18–14 | 6–10 | 9th | |||||
| 2012–13 | Arkansas | 19–13 | 10–8 | 7th | |||||
| 2013–14 | Arkansas | 22–12 | 10–8 | 5th | NIT Second Round | ||||
| 2014–15 | Arkansas | 27–9 | 13–5 | 2nd | NCAA Division I Round of 32 | ||||
| 2015–16 | Arkansas | 16–16 | 9–9 | T–8th | |||||
| 2016–17 | Arkansas | 26–10 | 12–6 | T–3rd | NCAA Division I Round of 32 | ||||
| 2017–18 | Arkansas | 23–12 | 10–8 | T–4th | NCAA Division I Round of 64 | ||||
| 2018–19 | Arkansas | 18–16 | 8–10 | T–9th | NIT Second Round | ||||
| Arkansas: | 170–103 (.623) | 79–64 (.552) | |||||||
| St. John's Red Storm (Big East Conference) (2019–2023) | |||||||||
| 2019–20 | St. John's | 17–15 | 5–13 | T–8th | |||||
| 2020–21 | St. John's | 16–11 | 10–9 | T–4th | |||||
| 2021–22 | St. John's | 17–15 | 8–11 | T–7th | |||||
| 2022–23 | St. John's | 18–15 | 7–13 | 8th | |||||
| St. John's: | 68–56 (.548) | 30–46 (.395) | |||||||
| Total: | 438–257 (.630) | ||||||||
|
National champion Conference regular season champion Conference tournament champion |
|||||||||
Personal Life and Family
Mike Anderson is married to Marcheita. They have four children: Darcheita, Michael Jr., Suney Alexander, and Yvonne. They also have four grandchildren. His daughter, Yvonne, played basketball for the Texas Longhorns women's basketball team.
His nephew, DeMarre Carroll, was a leading scorer for Missouri in 2008–09. DeMarre also played in the NBA for 11 seasons. He is currently an assistant coach in the league.
