Former NBA Coach Returns to National Campus

Palikir, Pohnpei (January 26, 2015) - Former NBA coach and scout Tom Newell visited the College’s National Campus on January 23-24, 2015. This is his second visit. Coach Newell met with students at the MITC and talked about the importance of a college education.

On the second day of his visit, Coach Newell conducted a basketball clinic were he shared and demonstrated NBA type of basketball drills for the residential hall students at the FSM-China Friendship Sports Center.

Coach Newell showed the students his 2011 NBA Championship Ring given to him by Dallas Mavericks Coach Rick Carlisle whom he mentored during his early years as a basketball player.

Coach Newell attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and began his career working as a scout for the Golden State Warriors in the 80s. After serving as the Indiana Pacers' Director of Player Personnel in 1984, he moved on to be an assistant coach for the Seattle Super Sonics (now Oklahoma City).

During the 1990s, he served as assistant coach for the New Jersey Nets, college scout for the Milwaukee Bucks, and assistant coach of the Dallas Mavericks. In 1995, he became the head coach of the Greek professional team Iraklis Thessaloniki B.C., and began his work in international programs. With extensive experience, he later joined the coaching staff of the short-lived WNBA team Portland Fire.

This visit was made possible through the United States Embassy in Kolonia.