Kim English, a former standout at Missouri and assistant coach under Rick Barnes at Tennessee, is reportedly the top candidate to take the vacant Providence job. Ed Cooley, who has been at the helm of the Friars program since 2012, recently took the Georgetown position.

English has been the head coach at George Mason for the past 2 seasons, leading the Patriots to a 20-13 record this past year. He’s best known as a standout guard from his playing days at Missouri from 2008-2012, later being drafted by the Detroit Pistons. He got into coaching soon after, finding his way to Knoxville as an assistant coach in 2019. He helped lead the Vols’ tandem of Grant Williams and Admiral Schofield to the Sweet 16 with Barnes before taking the George Mason job in 2021.

English shined in the 2012 Big 12 championship with the Tigers and was named the tournament’s most outstanding player, averaging 23 points per game while shooting an incredible 78% from the field. He was an excellent 3-point shooter, hitting at a 46% clip his senior season with the Tigers.

English was likely referred to those at Providence at least in part by Barnes, who also coached at Providence from 1988-1994. Strangely, Barnes was also head coach at George Mason before accepting the Friars job in 1988.

So go ahead and place a future on English being Clemson’s head coach in 10 years or so.