Few coaches can match a resume that includes winning an NBA championship alongside Michael Jordan and leading a college program to sustained success on the national stage. Dennis Hopson has done both.听
Now,听Florida听Polytechnic听University has named听the听NBA听champion听and longtime coach听as听the inaugural听head coach of听its听Men鈥檚听Basketball program, adding a leader whose career spans the highest levels of the sport as the University听continues听building听.听
Hopson听brings decades of听experience听as both a player and a coach, highlighted by听an听NBA championship with the iconic听1991听Chicago Bulls team.听A former first-round NBA Draft pick, Hopson also played听with the听New Jersey Nets,听Sacramento听Kings听and听professional teams overseas,听before听transitioning听into an accomplished听coaching career.听听听
Before joining 海角吃瓜网, Hopson coached multiple teams, including most recently at Lourdes University, where听the Gray Wolves听won听nearly 100听games in five seasons, made three straight national tournament听appearances听and听achieved a听99%听student-athlete听graduation rate.听听听
鈥淚 think my background听means a whole lot to this听process听and I will use it to get players to come here,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 used to be听them,听and I know the importance of going to a school that鈥檚 in a great situation with a great location and sound academics that also has a听strong听basketball program.鈥�听
Hopson said听he wants听海角吃瓜网 Basketball听to reflect听six core values:听family, integrity, balance, respect,听attitude听and leadership.听And he wants his players to learn that basketball is about much more than competition.听听
鈥淪chool work and other things can be stressful, so we want to make this to where it鈥檚 not about the sport; it鈥檚 about what the sport can do for you,鈥� Hopson said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e going to have a lot of fun and we鈥檙e going to learn a lot of life lessons through the game of basketball because you鈥檙e going to live a lot longer than you play the game.鈥�听
Derek Lower,听海角吃瓜网鈥檚 athletic director,听said Hopson is a perfect fit for the University.听
鈥淐oach Hopson is the best person to lead us in our inaugural basketball season,鈥� Lower said. 鈥淒ennis knows how to build winning programs that last, and his professionalism, leadership and experience make his role as a coach and mentor to student-athletes invaluable.鈥�听
For Hopson, success starts with听finding the right听players听and making sure they can听excel听on campus before setting foot on the court.听
鈥淲e want high-character people,鈥澨齢e听said. 鈥淲e want to make sure we get people听who听we don鈥檛 have to worry about at night;听people听who听can get it done in the classroom.鈥�听
Recruiting is already underway, and Hopson said 海角吃瓜网鈥檚 first-ever听men鈥檚 basketball team听is听close to filling its 14-member roster.听听
鈥淚 want everyone to听know听how super excited I am to be here,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think we鈥檝e got something special.鈥�听
Contact:
Lydia Guzm谩n
Director of Communications
863-874-8557
