Alabama men’s basketball assistant coach Ryan Pannone is expected to become the head coach at Arkansas State, following the departure of former Alabama assistant Bryan Hodgson. Pannone has spent two seasons with Alabama, where he played a pivotal role in running the offense, achieving notable national rankings for offensive efficiency. He becomes the fifth assistant from Nate Oats’ coaching tree to secure a Division I head coaching position. Pannone’s coaching experience includes roles in the NBA and international leagues, demonstrating his diverse background. Oats will need to find a replacement for Pannone on the coaching staff.
The coaching tree of Nate Oats is about to gain another branch.
Sources informed AL.com that Ryan Pannone, an assistant coach for Alabama men’s basketball, is anticipated to be appointed as the head coach of Arkansas State. Pannone has dedicated the past two seasons as an assistant with the Crimson Tide.
The position at Red Wolves opened up after former Alabama assistant Bryan Hodgson accepted a role at South Florida. Hodgson worked under Oats at both Buffalo and Alabama, concluding his tenure with the 2022-23 season before leaving Tuscaloosa to lead Arkansas State.
Jeff Purinton, the vice chancellor for intercollegiate athletics at Red Wolves, has ties to Alabama, having spent 15 years with the Crimson Tide in various roles, culminating as the executive deputy director of athletics before taking on the top position at Arkansas State.
Pannone will be the fifth former assistant under Oats to secure a Division I head coaching position, joining the ranks of Hodgson, Charlie Henry (Georgia Southern), Antoine Pettway (Kennesaw State), and Austin Claunch (UTSA).
Born and raised in Clearwater, Florida, Pannone has primarily been responsible for guiding the Alabama offense alongside Adam Bauman, the director of scouting & analytics, over the last two seasons. Last year, during their historic journey to the program’s first Final Four, the Crimson Tide’s offense was ranked No. 2 nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency, according to KenPom. This season, they maintained a No. 4 national rank.
Before joining Oats’ staff at Alabama, Pannone had coaching experiences across the United States and abroad. He served as an assistant coach with the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans during the 2022-23 season after being the G League head coach for the Birmingham Squadron/Erie BayHawks from 2019 to 2022.
Pannone has also coached in various locations, including Jerusalem, China, Germany, and Slovakia, among others.
Known for his passion for basketball film, Pannone spends much of his time analyzing and watching game footage when he’s not coaching.
With Pannone’s departure, Oats will need to find a replacement assistant coach for the upcoming 2025-26 season. Currently, Alabama still has assistant coaches Preston Murphy and Brian Adams on the roster.
Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for Follow him on X and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.