The room at the Thomas Cole Center in the heart of the Clark Atlanta University campus was decked out in the school colors of red, black and white in anticipation of the arrival of new men’s basketball head coach and former University of North Carolina star and NBA first round draft pick George Lynch. Even the CAU Panthers cheerleaders were in attendance for the event.
Lynch will make Clark Atlanta his first collegiate head coaching job after having spent time as collegiate assistant, most recently under Larry Brown at Southern Methodist University, and as an assistant coach in the G League.
“One of my goals as a player was to make it to the NBA and after my playing career was done it was to coach,” said Lynch. “It is an honor to follow up coacg [Darrell] Walker and I would like to continue the success and to continue to help these players graduate.”
Lynch continued, “I am looking forward to getting involved with community service and embracing what Atlanta has to offer.”
Lynch’s family is scheduled to come down to Atlanta within the next few days and he annouced he has plans to talk privately with the remaining players on the team, some of whom were in attendance at the prtess conference.
Clark Atlanta University Athletic Director J. Lin Dawson said there were more thn 60 applicants for the position, including seven former NBA players. “We were particularly looking for someone who was looking to win champiuonships and to develop our student-athletes as individuals and I believe we found that one,” Dawson said.
Clark Atlanta head women’s cvoach Yolanda Moore, who was also in attendance, said, “We are excited about him here and I believe it’s great for the program. [Lynch] will be able to elevate what coach Walker has done with the team and in regards to community engagement.”
Asked about the Clark Atlanta/Morehouse basketball rivalry, which had taken on a whole new level as of last season, Lynch said, “Ever since Mr. Dawson and I had talks he made it very clear that part of my responsibility was is to win that battle. I’m ready for the challenge and to continue the winning ways of coach Walker.”
