Iowa State assistant coach JR Blount, center, appears during practice before a first-round game in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at Fiserv Forum on Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He attended Dominican High School in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin. San Diego has hired respected Iowa State University assistant JR Blount as its new head coach, the school announced Monday.
Blount replaces Steve Lavin, who was fired last month before coming off a 12-21 season at the West Coast Conference school.
Blount, 38, was a member of four straight NCAA Tournament teams at Iowa State and the Cyclones will be a top seed for their upcoming team. And it’s part of TJ Otzelberger’s 120-51 record in five campaigns entering this week’s Big 12 Tournament.
“JR is an outstanding leader, a relentless competitor and one of the most promising coaches in college basketball,” Toreros athletic director Kimya Massey said in a press release. “More importantly, through this process I have come to know him as a humble leader with strong integrity and deep family values. JR has helped win at every level of his career and understands what it takes to build a program that competes with toughness, discipline and consistency. Just as importantly, he believes in developing young people holistically and leading them in a way that reflects the values of this university.
“This is a pivotal moment for our program and JR’s vision aligns with our belief that San Diego men’s basketball should compete in the top tier of the WCC and establish itself as a regular NCAA Tournament participant. We look forward to what the future holds under his leadership.”
The Toreros have had just one winning season in the last seven years. They haven’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2008, when they upset UConn in the first round for the program’s only March Madness victory.
Blount is interested in changing the recent past, and the WCC is set to see a league overhaul with Gonzaga’s departure for a rebuilt Pac-12.
“I am extremely honored and grateful for the opportunity to lead USD men’s basketball,” Blount said in a press release. “This is more than just a coaching position for me. It’s an opportunity to be part of a community and build something meaningful. …
“I came to USD with a deep desire to constantly compete, develop young people to their full potential, and build a program our fans can be proud of. Winning championships is important, but so is building a culture of strength, accountability and love. We will strive every day to represent USD the right way, on and off the court. We are ready to get started.”
Blount also served as an assistant coach at Colorado State for three seasons before joining the Cyclones. As a player, he was a four-year starter at Loyola Chicago, averaging 13.5 points and 3.7 rebounds per game from 2005-09.
–Field level media
