Basketball coach Ryan Pannone arrives to Jonesboro by way of the Alabama Crimson Tide by way of the New Orlean Pelicans by way of the Birmingham Squadron by way of Hapoel Jerusalem by way of Prievidza by way of Hapoel Jerusalem (again) by way of the White Wings Hanau by way the Erie BayHawks. In short, he comes a long way, having coached in Angola, China, Germany, Korea, Israel and Slovakia. His passport must look like confetti. For bonus points, he is also a citizen of YouTube, where he’s industry famous for his dissection of Xs and Os.

“Coach Pannone has achieved success both nationally and internationally, running high-tempo offenses in systems that emphasize player development,” observed Jeff Purinton. Athletic Director Vice Chancellor Intercollegiate Athletics. “He is well-known as an elite basketball tactician and great recruiter with the ability to get the very best out of his players.  He truly cares about the young men he coaches, placing a priority on their success both on and off the court.”

Pannone appears to be a different kind of coach than his predecessor Bryan Hodgson, who was known less for his tactical abilities and more for his wizardry with recruiting. (Currently, Alabama’s head recruiter appears to be assistant coach Preston Murphy.) Hodgson delivered two of the program’s most heralded recruiting classes (though most of those seeds are now destined to bear fruit elsewhere). There were times when Hodgson’s coaching acumen was challenged in his two years in Jonesboro – specifically in regard to breaking South Alabama’s zone defense. Perhaps this is what Purinton had in mind when he pulled the trigger on Pannone.

“Ryan Pannone is one of the top basketball minds in the game,” claimed Stan Van Gundy, former NBA coach. “No one studies the game more than Ryan.” 

“Ryan has one of the brightest basketball minds in the business,” seconds Scott Drew, head coach at Barylor. “His knowledge, work ethic, passion and experience far outweighs his years.”

Pannone, at the age of 40, certainly has seen more basketball in more places than most human beings. He isn’t shy about sharing his knowledge either, appearing in online videos with titles like NOC Pre-Season Growth Series Session 6: Alabama Offensive Strategies with Coach Ryan Pannone and Ryan Pannone: Forcing the switch vs. a team that switches on contact. If there is a video outlining a proven technique for breaking zone defense, Pannone has likely posted one.

Nobody will question Pannone’s ability to coach offense and defense. But he will be judged by who he can convince to join him at Arkansas State, where fan devotion to basketball is high and administrative support has had a spotty record at best. Will Pannone be graded against Hodgson’s recruiting success? Is that even fair? Before Hodgson left, Arkansas State’s 2025 recruiting class was a Top 35 effort. Can Pannone even approach this high degree of heat?

Irregardless of how Pannone recruits, it appears that Jeff Purinton has once again pulled a rabbit from his hat. As most of the fan base was predicting a poaching from the SWAC or a DII wunderkind, Purinton once again dusted off his rolodex and made some calls to basketball’s elite proving grounds. When Pannone is introduced to the world as Arkansas State’s new men’s head basketball coach on Friday, Purinton will be there on stage, secure in the knowledge that once gain he’s produced bricks without straw.

PHOTO CREDIT: Arkansas State Athletic Department