Bradds is Back and Ready to Build

Belmont’s All-Time Leading Scorer

(St. Louis, MO) – Belmont basketball’s all-time leading scorer, Evan Bradds has returned to the program as just its third Division 1 head coach . Wednesday’s introductory press conference was like a homecoming parade and it is clear that Bradds is back and ready to build.

After accumulating 1,921 points and 920 rebounds in a Bruins’ uniform, he expected to enjoy a long pro basketball career, but a leg injury ended those plans and he went immediately into coaching. During his playing career he was a two-time Ohio Valley Conference ‘Player of the Year’ and a two-time, honorable mention, all-American.

His coaching career has been mostly at the professional level. He was on the coaching staffs of the Maine Red Claws, the Boston Celtics and the Utah Jazz. Last May, he returned to the collegiate level to work with Jon Scheyer at Duke.

Valley Hoops Insider was invited to a virtual press gathering after Wednesday’s signing celebration. Here are the questions I asked and Bradds’ responses to those questions. We talked about the journey from Durham to Nashville and his interactions with legendary coach Rick Byrd. While Bradds and recently departed Casey Alexander know and like one another, they don’t know each other in a deep fashion.

It’s already been announced that Brian Ayers will stay with the Bruin coaching staff. He worked with Byrd and Alexander. His experience will be a huge boost to this first-time head coach.

He met with the existing players and is hopeful that some will stay. Since this conversation, we learned that MVC, all-freshman team member Jack Smiley has chosen to remain at Belmont.

Bradds and Director of Athletics Scott Corley have a long and unique relationship. Corley is a former Belmont player himself and actually outscored Bradds 2,062 to 1921. Corley played for Belmont before the university transitioned into Division 1 of college basketball.

Our Conversation

Bradds says he hopes he’s a ‘mash up’ of coach Byrd, Brad Stevens, Jon Scheyer and Will Hardy, but that the ‘Belmont Way’ is very important to him. He noted the way coach Byrd taught he and his teammates how to treat others and about the importance of academics.

The nearly 32-year-old Bradds has head coaching experience with the Utah Jazz’s summer league team.  This will be his first college head coaching job.

He is well connected on both the recruiting trail and at the highest levels of basketball. His diverse experiences will serve him well in an ever-changing college basketball world.

Evan Bradds is back and ready to build.

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