Michigan State hires Saddi Washington as assistant men's basketball coach

East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo has added Saddi Washington to his staff as an assistant, per a statement released by the program on Thursday. Washington replaces Mark Montgomery, who left to take the head coaching job at Detroit Mercy earlier this offseason. 

Washington, a Lansing native and the son of Spartan great Stan Washington, spent the last eight seasons as an assistant under John Beilein and Juwan Howard at Michigan. He was responsible for coaching the wings and big men in Ann Arbor. He also coordinated defensive strategies for the Wolverines.

Along with Washington’s hiring, Izzo announced the promotion of Doug Wojcik to associate head coach. Jon Borovich and Austin Thornton were both elevated to assistants, joining Washington and Thomas Kelley in that role.

“I’m very excited to welcome Saddi to our staff and to bring him back home to the Lansing area,” Izzo said via the statement. “I’ve known him since he was in junior high school, where he had Doug Herner as a teacher and I’ve had a great relationship with him and his family for a long, long time. Obviously, he’s got some deep ties at Michigan State as his parents and his brother are all alums and his father, Stan, was one of the greats of our program.

“Saddi is not only a real and genuine person, but he’s an incredible coach who has had a great career working for some great people, from my good friend Greg Kampe at Oakland and to his last eight years at Michigan, under both John Beilein and Juwan Howard. He’s an outstanding teacher with a great basketball IQ and has been recognized as a great recruiter, in and out of Michigan.

“We’re excited to welcome Saddi back home and to have his wife, Channon, and their two kids, Sidney and Caleb, as part of the Spartan Family.”

Prior to his time at Michigan, Washington was an assistant coach at Oakland for 10 seasons (2006-16). Kampe promoted Washington to associate head coach in 2013. Washington began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at Romulus High School under current Alabama head coach Nate Oats.

“I’m very thankful to join the program at Michigan State and to come back home,” Washington said via the statement. “My family and I are excited for this move and becoming a Spartan is a bit of a full-circle moment for me since my parents and my youngest brother are MSU alums. I grew up down the road in Lansing, coming to watch games at Jenison Field House and my father is one of the original ‘Spartan Dawgs,’ so it is surreal for me to carry on his legacy.

“I’ve had the opportunity to work with and for some great coaches throughout my career, from my playing days at Western Michigan with Bob Donewald, to working for Greg Kampe at Oakland and then during my time at Michigan with John Beilein and Juwan Howard. I’m really looking forward to working with Hall of Fame Coach Tom Izzo alongside a great staff. I’ve followed the Michigan State program since I was a kid and saw first-hand how Coach Izzo has built and sustained excellence. I understand how important it is to the community, the University and the alumni. I’m excited to get going.”

Washington was a four-year letterwinner in both basketball and track at Lansing Sexton High School. He committed to Western Michigan out of high school and earned Second Team All-MAC honors as a junior and First Team All-MAC honors as a senior.

Washington averaged 21.6 points per game as a senior. That season, he helped guide Western Michigan to a No. 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where the Broncos would upset No. 6-seeded Clemson for their second NCAA Tournament win in program history.

Washington still ranks inside the top 10 in seven statistical categories at Western Michigan. He graduated with a double major in business management and marketing.