Gilliam named new head coach for PSU-McKeesport
Former NBA star Armon Gilliam, 37, was hired Thursday at the new men's basketball coach at Penn State-McKeesport.
'We consider him a real find,' said Dr. Patrick Boyle, the director of student affairs.
This is the first coaching job for Gilliam, who played for 13 seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, the New Jersey Nets, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Utah Jazz.
Gilliam, who replaces Dan DeRose, is the third coach in as many years at the 951-student McKeesport campus.
He had been working as a volunteer assistant under first-year coach and former Pitt player Joey David at Mt. Lebanon High School.
Gilliam saw an advertisement for the opening at PSU-McKeesport and was selected from a pool of 11 applicants.
'We had many qualified applicants and we were lucky to have such a strong pool,' Boyle said. 'But when I saw his resume and that he'd played 13 years in the NBA, that jumped out at me.'
The 6-foot-9 Gilliam, who starred at Bethel Park High School and UNLV, has made intructional videos, and worked at the Five Star Basketball Camp for two decades.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 1987 draft, he also consulted with high school programs in the South Hills.
Gilliam, who taught himself to shoot left-handed by tying his right hand behind his back while he ate dinner, met the players for the first time Wednesday. Another meeting is scheduled for today.
'He know what he's doing, and he's going to make us better players,' second-year point guard Harrison Hatcher said. 'He's nervous right now because it's his first job, but he's already helping us a lot.'
Boyle said Gilliam will be able to boost the level of recruiting at the school.
'The fact that he played professional basketball for 13 years will serve as a magnet when he goes recruiting,' Boyle said. 'He has a dynamic personality. He'll be able to attract quality recruits.
'But I think what impressed me the most was the fact that he attended UNLV and was named the Student Athlete of the Year in 1986. He seemed like one of those people who are concerned with good athletics and good academics. He views the game as getting them ready for the game of life. Academics will be a high-priority item for him.'
Penn State-McKeesport (13-15) will play host to its annual Tip-Off Tournament on Nov. 10-11 at Wunderley Gymnasium in McKeesport.
The 2001-02 home-opener is scheduled for Nov. 28 against perennial power Community College of Beaver County.
