Notre Dame men's basketball completes coaching staff with addition of Hamlet Tibbs

Personally and professionally, the second week of August was a big one for college basketball coach Hamlet Tibbs. 

Life changing. Maybe on every level. 

Tibbs, who closed that week by getting married on Aug. 13, also finalized plans to start a new job — as an assistant basketball coach at Notre Dame, where he’ll work for head coach Mike Brey. 

“Thrilled to have Hamlet Tibbs joining us,” Brey said in a university release. “One of the true bright ones in our business who has paid his dues and proven himself.” 

A 2007 graduate of West Virginia, Tibbs replaces former Irish assistant coach Ryan Humphrey, who left in July to take a similar position at Oklahoma. Tibbs’ hiring was made official on Tuesday afternoon.

“I am thrilled to be joining Coach Brey and the rest of his coaching staff," Tibbs said in a university release. "I’m looking forward to working with all of the players and becoming a part of the community. This is truly an honor for my wife and I. We are excited to call South Bend our new home.

"I’m ready to work."

Tibbs was at Rolfs Hall on Monday to start the new week, and his new job. 

Tibbs spent last season at the University of Albany after the previous seven at Vermont. He also coached for five years with the Albany (N.Y.) City Rocks AAU program. Having learned earlier this summer of Humphrey’s return to his native Oklahoma, Brey was quick to target Tibbs. He wanted a young, up-and-coming assistant to join a staff that includes two veterans in associate head coach Anthony Solomon and assistant coach Antoni Wyche, a former Irish guard in his second season on staff. 

“Shot out of a cannon type of deal,” Brey said of what he wanted in his new assistant. 

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Brey mentioned in late July that hiring a specific “big man coach” — Humphery coached the Irish power forwards during his six seasons — was not a prerequisite. Without Humphrey for July, the Irish bigs were tutored by Solomon. In 2015, Solomon worked with both the guards and the bigs. His project late in a year that saw Notre Dame win the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament and finish 32-6 was power forward Zach Auguste. 

“To get his attention, I put Slo with the big guys — ‘I want you to scare him the first 10 minutes of practice,’” Brey said of Solomon’s work with Auguste. “Slo can do anything.” 

Wyche works mainly with the Irish perimeter. 

“The two warriors that I have,” Brey said of Solomon and Wyche, “those guys are assassins.” 

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Tibbs’ hiring completes a heavy reshuffle of Brey’s coaching staff coming off a season in which Notre Dame went 24-11 overall, 15-5 and second place in the ACC before a return to the NCAA Tournament after a four-year absence. The Irish won two NCAA games — against Rutgers and Alabama — for the first time since 2016 and came within a few minutes (before the loss to Texas Tech) of returning to the Sweet 16 for the first time is six seasons. 

Former Irish swingman and team captain Scott Martin left his position as director of basketball operations after serving in a variety of roles over three seasons to return to work in private business (State Farm Insurance) in his hometown of Valparaiso. Former director of player development/recruiting coordinator Pat Rogers, a 2010 Notre Dame graduate, was elevated to Martin’s role as DOBO. Rogers also spent part of July on the road recruiting when Humphrey left. 

Former Northwestern guard Ryan Greer is in his first season as player development/video coordinator. 

The Irish return a veteran core for 2022-23, one that includes six players in graduate school. Notre Dame opens the season Nov. 10 at home against Radford.