Mike Bibby reached an agreement to become the next college basketball coach at Sacramento State. Yes, that Mike Bibby— the former national champion at Arizona and 15-year NBA point guard.
This hire, which is completely out of left field, is just the latest move by the university to position itself for a move from the Big Sky Conference to the Pac-12 or another “power” conference. It also creates a unique dynamic considering the size of the gym in northern California and the amount of NIL money that supposedly exists for Hornets athletics.
Bibby began his coaching career as an assistant at Shadow Mountain High School, his alma mater, in 2013. He was later elevated to head coach from 2014-19 and spent the 2019 season at Hillcrest Prep. The 46-year-old has not been involved in coaching since. Never has he coached college basketball.
Sacramento State obviously wanted to make a splash. Let’s be real… It chose Bibby over countless more-qualified candidates because of his name.
The university desperately wants an invitation to a new, bigger and “better” conference. The football program continues make serious waves in recruiting and even got a five-star quarterback to campus. Local businesses supposedly pledged more than $35 million in NIL money for the athletic department. And now Mike Bibby.
If the alleged financial backing is legitimate, there is an opportunity for the Hornets to make some noise on the mid-major level of college hoops. Their new head coach brings a buzz. He will have a solid NIL pool on which to recruit.
Should Sacramento State actually start winning with Bibby, it would create a unique dynamic. The basketball team plays at what it calls ‘the Nest.’ Built in 1955, the arena is one of the oldest facilities in Division-I hoops.
With a seating capacity of 1,012, it is the fifth-smallest gym in the entire country.
Sacramento State could become a powerhouse on the mid-major level of college hoops while playing at a gym smaller than some high schools. This will be one of the most fascinating stories in sports history if it works. “If” being the key word…