It’s official: Sacramento State’s new men’s basketball coach is an Oklahoma assistant
David Patrick will be the 15th men’s basketball coach at Sacramento State, the school announced Tuesday morning.
With 17 years of collegiate and international coaching experience, Patrick comes aboard with a reputation as a renowned recruiter with worldwide connections. He has been a part of winning program at all of his stops, including at Arkansas as an assistant under onetime Kings head coach Eric Musselman in 2021 and this past season as the associate head coach at Oklahoma.
The 46-year-old Patrick will become a head collegiate coach for the second time, having led UC Riverside to a Division-I school-best 17 wins in 2019-20. Patrick will be introduced to the media at noon Tuesday, April 12. He is already out recruiting for the Hornets this week.
“We are thrilled to welcome David to Sacramento State to lead our men’s basketball program,” Sac State athletic director Mar Orr said in a news release. “David’s vision for our program and his values as a leader of student-athletes align perfectly with our University. He has a wide range of experience, and a proven track record of recruiting and developing student-athletes to meet their goals. I look forward building a championship basketball program under his leadership. The future is very bright for Hornet basketball.”
Patrick said he was “ecstatic” to land the job, adding in the same the same release, “After my first conversation with Mark Orr, I could feel his passion and energy for the potential he envisions for Sacramento State basketball, and his love for the city. I could see the alignment and vision President (Robert S.) Nelsen has for Sacramento State athletics, and the positive direction the university is headed.
“This program has all the characteristics in place to compete for Big Sky Conference championships. I’ve been around winning at every stop of my coaching journey, and that is the DNA I will instill in this program. My number one goal will be to ensure our young men leave Sacramento State with a degree in hand, and they learn to be leaders in their homes and in the community.”
Patrick is well-known throughout basketball, including the NBA, where he has mentored and coached players. According to the release, he has a sterling reputation.
Said Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody, whom Patrick coached at Arkansas, “Anyone who knows David Patrick is aware there is no one more prepared for this opportunity. I’m beyond proud of coach for his dedication to the game, and to every player he’s coached along the way. During my time at Arkansas, he continued to believe and invest in me and my teammates every day. The players at Sacramento State are blessed to have him as a coach, and the value he will bring to the Hornets is beyond measure.”
Said Desmond Bane, a forward for the Memphis Grizzlies, “Words cannot describe how happy and excited I am that David has received the Sacramento State job. His love and passion for people and the game of basketball has taken him all over the globe. He has shined everywhere he’s been, and I’m sure Sacramento State will be no different.”
Patrick is the godfather of Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons, whom Patrick recruited to play at LSU when he was on that coaching staff. Said Simmons, “I am so excited for coach Patrick to take on the role as head coach at Sacramento State. He is one of the most underrated coaches and recruiters in the country. When I went through the recruiting process, there was never a doubt that I wanted to be coached by him. He is more than a coach. He is family. He cares deeply about his players, not only as it relates to basketball, but also life.
“Sac State is getting more than a brilliant coach, they are getting a guy who will create a culture of success, support and accountability. I’m excited for the current players to be able to experience a coach who will not only make them better basketball players, but also better men. I’m looking forward to watching Sacramento State’s success over the coming years.”
Patrick replaces Brandon Laird, who served this past season as interim coach after longtime coach Brian Katz stepped down on the eve of the season due to health concerns. Sac State went 11-18 this season, its 31st at the Division I level
This story was originally published April 5, 2022 at 10:00 AM.