After the abrupt resignation of former assistant coach Shawn Forrest, it appears new LSU men’s basketball head coach Johnny Jones has landed an international presence to replace Forrest.
Sources confirmed to The Daily Reveille that former Saint Mary’s assistant coach David Patrick will accept the job to fill out Jones’ staff.
Patrick, born in Bermuda and raised in Melbourne, Australia, was the 1995 Louisiana Player of the Year after transferring to Chapel Trafton in Baton Rouge for his senior year of high school.
After high school, he played for Jim Boeheim at Syracuse as a reserve point guard, playing in 28 games in 1996, when the Orange made it to the national championship game, falling to Kentucky.
Unsatisfied with his playing time, Patrick transferred to Southwestern Louisiana ­- now UL-Lafayette – where he started 21 games in three seasons before playing professionally overseas until 2004.
Patrick began his coaching career the next year as an assistant coach at Nicholls State before being lured to Saint Mary’s as the director of basketball operations the next year.
After serving in that role for one year, Patrick was promoted to an assistant coach for the 2007-2008 season and was vital in recruiting Australian-born Patrick “Patty” Mills to the Gaels.
Mills and Patrick were family friends, and Mills led the Gaels to an NCAA Tournament appearance in his freshman season before declaring for the NBA prior to his junior year. He was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round of the 2009 NBA Draft. He was suspended by the NBA in May for illegally communicating with players during the lockout.
Former UL-Lafayette beat writer for The Advertiser, Josh Parrott said Patrick had interviewed at UL-Lafayette, the University of Houston and Missouri before the Tigers came calling. Patrick also wanted a settled home for his wife – an Oberlin, La. native – and his daughter.
“He wanted to go somewhere longstanding,” Parrott said.
Parrott added that Patrick visits Australia “about three or four times” a year, and uses the connections he’s built there to his advantage. The hire is expected to be made official later this week.
“[Patrick] will not only just recruit Louisiana, but he’ll be able to go international,” Parrott said.
Patrick will replace Forrest, who resigned June 4. Although unconfirmed by the LSU Athletic Department, widespread speculation pointed to discrepancies in Forrest’s resumé as a possible reason for his resignation.
Contact Chandler Rome at [email protected]