NEW ORLEANS – LSU New Orleans announced today that – for the second time in two weeks – a familiar face is returning to the hardwood on campus. Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame inductee John Brady has been named senior advisor for athletic advancement and men’s basketball strategy for the Privateers.
Brady will serve a dual-purpose role at LSU New Orleans. He will work closely with athletic department administration on identifying fundraising priorities and major gifts, as well as with the basketball program directly to assist with overall program strategy, roster building and long-term performance goals.
“We are thrilled to welcome Coach John Brady back to the Lakefront; he brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and a vast array of connections to our athletic department. He will play a major role in fundraising not just for basketball but for the entire athletic department,” said LSU New Orleans Athletic Director Dr. Michael Giorlando.
“I’m incredibly excited for John Brady to join our staff. His success as a head coach speaks for itself and there are very few people who have the experience and perspective he brings to the game,” said Stacy Hollowell, head coach of the LSU New Orleans Privateers men’s basketball team. “Through his work covering LSU basketball, John has been able to stay deeply connected to today’s game while also having the opportunity to spend a tremendous amount of time talking basketball with some of the best coaches in the country. That combination of experience, knowledge and relationships will bring a unique and valuable perspective to our program, and I’m excited about what our players and staff can learn from him every day.”
Brady is best known for his successful run as the men’s basketball head coach of the LSU Tigers from 1997-2008. He won 192 games at LSU, including the 2000 and 2006 SEC regular season championships. During his tenure, the Tigers made the NCAA Tournament in 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2006, with a Final Four appearance in 2006 and a Sweet 16 appearance in 2000. He also led LSU to NIT bids in 2002 and 2004.
Brady was named SEC Coach of the Year in 2000 and 2006, was honored as an SEC Living Legend at the 2018 SEC Basketball Tournament and was inducted into the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2025. His 192 wins still rank third all-time with the Tigers, behind LSU Hall of Famers Dale Brown and Harry Rabenhorst.
Stromile Swift and Glen Davis were named All-Americans under the tutelage of Brady. Swift, Davis and Brandon Bass were named SEC Player of the Year. Bass, Davis and Tyrus Thomas were named SEC Freshman of the Year. During his 11-year run, student-athletes at LSU were named to the SEC All-Conference team 15 times.
Brady got his Division I head coaching career started at Samford. Between 1991 and 1997, he won 89 games on the Bulldogs’ bench and a pair of Trans America Athletic Conference (now known as the ASUN) Western Division championships.
Following his time at LSU, he spent eight seasons coaching the Arkansas State Red Wolves from 2008 to 2016. Arkansas State won 121 games and a pair of Sun Belt Conference Western Division championships during his run in Jonesboro.
Brady returned to LSU as the color analyst for men’s basketball on the LSU Sports Radio Network in 2017 and has remained a popular figure among Tiger basketball fans due to his knowledge and love of the game expressed over the airwaves for the past eight seasons.
This new role marks a return to New Orleans for Brady after he spent the 1990-91 season as part of Privateer Athletics Hall of Famer Tim Floyd’s coaching staff. Brady helped guide the Privateers to a 23-8 record and a share of the American South Conference regular season championship.
The 1990-91 team qualified for the NCAA Tournament as the No. 14 seed in the Southeast Region and pushed eventual national runner-up Kansas to the brink before falling 55-49 after being tied at halftime.
During nonconference play that season, New Orleans knocked off No. 16 Virginia in Charlottesville – the second victory in program history against an AP Top 25 team.
He coached three of the school’s all-time greats: Tank Collins, Melvin Simon and Ervin Johnson during his lone season on the Lakefront. Collins was named the American South Player of the Year that year, while Johnson – who was just named an assistant coach for the Privateers two weeks ago – went on to become the school’s only first-round draft pick in NBA history in 1993. All three were named to the program’s all-time top 50 list in 2019.
Brady will be available for questions from both media and fans at an introductory press conference Monday afternoon, Aug. 31. The event begins at 1:30 p.m. and will be held in Spotlights Lounge at Lakefront Arena. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.
ABOUT LSU NEW ORLEANS
In July of 2026 the University of New Orleans rejoined the LSU system and rebranded to “LSU New Orleans” bringing together two powerful brands – the purple and gold of LSU with the unbreakable spirit of New Orleans. The transition marks a return to the LSU family for the University – a place it called home from 1958-2011. Athletic teams will remain the Privateers and continue to compete in the Southland Conference.
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