Former Oakland basketball start Drew Valentine (15) has been hired as an assistant coach for the Golden Grizzlies. Photo/Jose Suarez
[dropcap]F[/dropcap]ormer Oakland University basketball star Drew Valentine has joined the Golden Grizzlies coaching staff, announced by head coach Greg Kampe Monday.
Valentine played four years for Oakland from 2009-13, which included back-to-back runs in NCAA tournaments in 2010 and 2011. The Lansing, Mich. native played 136 game for the Golden Grizzlies and totaled 48o defensive rebounds to finish fourth all-time in school history.
“We are delighted to announce that Drew Valentine will be joining in a full-time position as an assistant coach with bench duties, recruiting duties, and the whole gamut,” said Kampe in a press release Monday. “To be 23 or 24 years old and have that position is quite rare in this day in age, but this young man deserves it.”
Valentine spent the past two season with the Michigan State Spartans, serving as a graduate manager under head coach Tom Izzo. The Spartans made a run to the NCAA Final Four last season to finish 27-12. Valentine’s role with the Spartans also made him a member of the same team as his younger brother, Denzel Valentine.
“Drew Valentine is one of the best up-and-coming coaches in the nation,” Izzo said in the same press release. “The job he did as a graduate manager in two years at Michigan State was second to none. His passion, discipline and work ethic are special, but his ability to motivate players is as good as I have ever seen. He will be a great fit in Coach Kampe’s system, one in which he excelled as a player. I look forward to watching him grow over the next few years as the latest member of the Spartan coaching tree.”
Oakland will travel to Spain between August 24 and September 2. The Golden Grizzlies will face Valencia Basket on August 27, La Bruixa D’Or on August 31 and finish the trip with CB L’hospitalet on September 1.
