Arizona assistant coach and former NBA veteran point guard Damon Stoudamire is leaving the Wildcats to take the same position at Memphis. The news was announced in a release from Arizona on Monday.
Stoudamire played in the NBA for 13 seasons and spent the last two seasons on the Arizona bench, his alma mater, under Miller. Before that, Stoudamire spent two seasons with the Tigers as an assistant coach under Josh Pastner, so he’s already familiar with this position.
The move allows Stoudamire to be closer to his family.
“It is with mixed emotions that I’ll be returning to the University of Memphis to be Josh Pastner’s lead assistant,” Stoudamire said in the release. “It is bittersweet, as Arizona has and always will have a special place in my heart. Sean Miller, the rest of the staff and the great group of players mean a great deal to me.
“I have a unique opportunity to return to Memphis with the added knowledge of what I need to do to help them achieve the success we had at Arizona over the past two years. I’m also able to be closer to my two sons, who are near and dear to my heart.”
With his extensive NBA background and stops at two successful programs, Stoudamire should be able to generate some recruiting interest for the Tigers.