Tennessee’s top recruiter being tapped to rebuild ETSU men’s basketball

A coaching lifer from New York is getting his breakthrough in Johnson City.

East Tennessee State University is holding a 3 pm news conference today to introduce Desmond Oliver as their new men’s head basketball coach.

Oliver has been an assistant at Division I schools for more than two decades including the last six years at Tennessee where he was credited with assembling some of the best-recruiting classes in the country.

Oliver’s next chore will be convincing players to stay at ETSU.

The program has come under local and state scrutiny for a February kneeling incident during the National Anthem that resulted in criticism from lawmakers and ties being cut by financial supporters including alumni and business owners.

Several players from this year’s roster have entered the NCAA transfer portal. Buccaneers freshman Truth Harris told ESPN last week that Shay’s resignation would not have happened if he had not supported the players and the National Anthem controversy “shows a lot of what is going on in (Johnson City), and in this country right now.”

First-year head coach Jason Shay resigned last week but school officials including Athletic Director Scott Carter said Shay was not forced out but left on his own accord.

(IMAGE: UT Assistant Desmond Oliver, center, with his family, wife Annette, sons Dante and Dallas, and dog Buddy. / University of Tennessee Athletics)