Originally Released on Saturday, August 6, 2016
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Former Clayton State men's basketball player Kevin Young has been named as an assistant coach with the National Basketball Association's Philadelphia 76ers following two successful years as the head coach of their D-League franchise, the Delaware 87ers.
A D-League head coach since 2007, beginning with the Utah Flash through 2011 and the Iowa Energy from 2011-13, Young was an assistant for Delaware during the 2013-14 campaign. He would then be named head coach of the franchise before the 2014-15 season.
Over the next two years he would do exactly what is expected – develop players to the NBA. In 2015-16 alone, he would see Jordan McRae (Cleveland Cavaliers), Sean Kilpatrick (Brooklyn Nets) and Christian Wood (Philadelphia 76ers) earn call ups to the highest level of professional basketball. He would also be instrumental in developing Thanasis Antekokounmpo, who is now on the roster of the New York Knicks.
"The opportunity for coaches Young and [John] Bryant to earn their first roles in the NBA with the 76ers staff is exhilarating and rewarding," said Brandon Williams, 87ers General Manager. "It is a direct reflection of the collective commitment to the affiliation system that has made development of talent an absolute priority. We now celebrate the call-up of two remarkable coaches."
Young would get his start as a player at Middle Georgia College from 2000-02 before coming to Clayton State for two years under legendary coach Gordon Gibbons. From 2003-04, he would play in 59 games, starting 51, and finish with career averages of 7.1 points, 3.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.5 rebounds.
As a junior in 2002-03 he would dish out a team-leading 111 assists for a 3.8 average before producing a truly impressive senior campaign a year later. Young would average 8.2 points, 2.9 assists and 1.8 steals, totaling 55 steals on the year.
The latter two marks still rank in the program's Top-10 for a single season, coming in tied for eighth and eighth, respectively. His steal total and .393 three-point field goal percentage that season would also lead the team.
Those are not Young's only records on the books either, as his career 3.3 assists per game is good for eighth all-time while his 197 assists is ninth overall. His 111 assists as a junior falls just outside of the Top-10 for a single season.
Young will begin his first season in the NBA on the staff of Brett Brown and the Philadelphia 76ers, a franchise that features some of the top young players in the game, including this year's No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons.
In late October, Young will join the players he helped graduate to the highest level of professional basketball as makes the move to the sidelines for the 2016-17 campaign.
