NC State basketball hires alum Levi Watkins as an assistant coach
NC State basketball has two openings for assistant coaches on its staff, and head coach Kevin Keatts filled one of them Friday afternoon. The Wolfpack announced the hire of former player Levi Watkins to fill one of the positions.
“I’m excited to welcome Levi and his family back home,” Keatts said in a prepared statement. “His passion for NC State has been apparent every time I have spoken to him. Levi has a great basketball mind and he’s helped guide the last three programs he’s been with to the NCAA Tournament. He’s a great builder of young men, who will develop our players both on and off the court. He’s a strong recruiter and communicator. I think he’s going to bring enthusiasm and excitement to our program every day and I’m excited to have him on our staff.”
“I want to thank Coach Keatts for the opportunity to return back to my alma mater,” Watkins stated. “My family and I are thrilled, and I can’t wait to be back on the sidelines for the Wolfpack. Over the last 20 years, I have been extremely fortunate to play, recruit, and coach in and against many of the premier basketball teams, leagues and regions all across this country. I am looking forward to playing a critical role in contributing to the success and next level of men’s basketball here at NC State. As a former NC State student athlete, I know what it means to wear the Wolfpack uniform, the tradition that is engrained into the very fabric of who we are, and the culture and passion that permeates throughout all of Wolfpack Nation!”
From 2002-05, Watkins played 97 games and made 20 starts for NC State basketball, averaging 5.1 points per contest, while working towards a degree in business management.
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After completing his eligibility, Watkins worked at NC State, first as an administrator coordinator and then video coordinator. In 2009-10, he was promoted to director of operations, a title he held for four years.
From 2013-15, Watkins was an assistant coach at Buffalo, helping them reach the NCAA Tournament in his final season. He then became an assistant at Arizona State until 2018. In his final season, the Sun Devils reached as high as No. 3 in the country in the Associated Press poll and made it to the NCAA Tournament.
For the past four seasons, Watkins has been an assistant at Ole Miss.
NC State basketball is replacing assistants Mike Summey and Roy Roberson.
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