Perry Stevenson joins Jon Hood on Missouri Western's staff

Missouri Western head coach Will Martin is using his connections from the University of Kentucky to build a coaching staff his athletic director is calling, “BBN West.”

A student-manager on UK’s 2012 national championship team, Martin is entering his second season as the head coach of the Griffons, and last week he hired Jon Hood as one of his new assistants. But Coach Martin still needed a little more Blue by his side out there near Kansas country, so he called up Perry Stevenson as his other hire to complete the two new additions to his staff.

Today Stevenson was officially announced as MWSU’s new assistant coach, the former Kentucky forward’s first coaching job in college basketball.

“Perry was a huge part of our success at Kentucky, and will be instrumental in helping us establish the new STANDARD at Missouri Western,” Martin in a press release. “With his experience as a starting big in the SEC and as a pro, he brings a unique vantage point of what it takes to develop into a consistent everyday player at the highest level. More so than the development he will help bring to our players on the court, Perry is one of the finest human beings I know and he will be a huge asset in helping us build high character young men off the floor. He understands that it is always bigger than basketball, and I can’t wait for Griff Nation to get to know the Perry I have grown to love and respect with utmost regard.”

Stevenson said of new Division II gig, “I’m so ecstatic about joining this staff and getting to work with this team. It’s not often you get brought into a situation that is already so special.  I’m looking forward to putting the work in and building on that to take Griffon basketball to the next level.”

BBN West is located just outside the Kansas City area and the Griffons compete in the MIAA conference. Last season they went 14-11 in Martin’s first year. He should welcome Stevenson to the program by showing all of the players this dunk.