Kim Anderson, who coached Central Missouri to a NCAA II championship last month was hired as the Missouri Tigers men’s basketball coach. The 18th in school history. Anderson is a former MU player and assistant coach.
Although the Missouri University job is Kim Anderson’s dream job , it was hard for him to leave a program which he had helped build into a national championship. Central Missouri freshman Kyle Wold told local papers that the coach was “really emotional” when he met with the team on Monday to tell them that he had accepted the job at MU.
“We had a feeling it was coming. He deserves it,” said Wolf, explaining that the team gave applause for Kim Anderson as he moves onto his next job.
Anderson, 58, has strong ties to the Missouri basketball program’s glory years under Norm Stewart, who retired in 1999. Anderson interviewed to be Stewart’s replacement, but Alden hired Quin Snyder instead.
“Obviously, I’m humbled and appreciative and feel privileged to be able to do this,” Kim Anderson said during an interview that aired on Missouri University’s athletics website.
Kim Anderson has some challenges with the team upcoming. His top returning scorer averages 5.8 points per game. Also, he will be 59 years old as a rookie Div. 1 head coach. He’s no spring chicken.
A source close to Missouri said that Athletic Director Mike Alden insisted on keeping the process under tight wraps with no leaks. The staff at Missouri did an exceptional job keeping the offer a secret until the announcement.
Kim Anderson was the only candidate who the general public knew had interviewed for the job. This weekend the Board of Curators reviewed the contract which was approved by 1 p.m. Monday. After one hour and 20 minutes meeting on Monday the curators adjourned without comment and 40 minutes later Missouri University spokesperson announced that Kim Anderson was hired.
Another candidate was Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall. He met with Alden about the Missouri head coaching job and “was very impressed with Mike’s vision and leadership and with the potential of the Missouri basketball program” but that the timing was off to even consider leaving the Shockers, according to his agent. But there are many opportunities for Division II coaches to step up to the plate as Division I coaches are being wooed to the NBA .
The job comes with a major upgrade in pay as well. Kim Anderson made $150,000 last year with the Central Missouri Mules. Frank Haith, Missouri’s previous coach made $1.7 million in his final year with the team.
The team, and the sports world, knew that there was no better candidate for Missouri than Kim Anderson.
