New Providence Basketball Coach Kim English Pulls Cool Move, Plays Friars Freshman 1-On-1 For Him To Not To Transfer

Kim English has been the head basketball coach at Providence College for less than a week, but he is already changing the culture. The 34-year-old, who previously served in the same role at George Mason, is tasked with a unique recruiting challenge.

It has become the standard for first-year head coaches to not only have to try and retain the previous coach's recruiting class, but retain the previous coach's players. In the era of the transfer portal and NIL, player movement is more prominent than ever.

As a result, whenever a school makes a change at head coach, the players on the current roster typically leave. That is no different for the Friars.

A group of basketball players hit the portal after Ed Cooley left for Georgetown and English was hired at Providence in search of a new program. Among them was freshman guard Jayden Pierre.

He announced his decision to enter the transfer portal Tuesday afternoon.

Not long thereafter, English gave him a challenge. If he beat Pierre in a game of one-on-one, Pierre has to stay. If Pierre beat English, he is free to leave.

Pierre accepted the challenge and lost. We know this because English went live on Instagram, with an arm around his new player, and let the world know of his transfer portal victory.

Despite taking the L, Pierre was a bit salty and tried to run it back. It was all in good fun.

Obviously, Pierre can do whatever he wants whether he wins or not. Even though he lost, he could still decide to transfer.

Whether Pierre leaves or not doesn't take away from what a cool, unique move it was from English, who played two seasons in the NBA and four seasons overseas after a standout career at Missouri. He is building a special culture in Providence and the Friars got a good one!