Tasmin Mitchell to join LSU’s staff in player development role

By CODY WORSHAM | Tiger Rag Editor

A legend is coming home.

Former Tiger Tasmin Mitchell, honored this spring as an SEC Legend at the conference tournament, will return to Baton Rouge to join Will Wade’s staff in a player development role, Mitchell confirmed to Tiger Rag on Thursday morning.

Mitchell, a native of Denham Springs, La., played for LSU from 2005-2010, serving as a key cog in LSU’s 2006 Final Four run and finishing his career as one of three players in program history with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 200 assists and 100 steals. He will serve as Wade’s director of student-athlete development.

“It is very exciting to have a former LSU player of Tasmin Mitchell’s reputation join our staff,” Wade said in a release Friday. “He will work closely with our players and his knowledge of the LSU program is very important to us.”

An Oral History of LSU’s 2006 Final Four Team

The third-leading scorer in program history, Mitchell left LSU with 1,989 points, fewer only than Rudy Macklin and Pete Maravich. He is one of just nine players to ever start for two SEC championship teams (2006, 2009) at LSU. He remains LSU’s all-time leader in minutes played (4,692).

After leaving LSU, Mitchell played eight years professionally in the NBA D-League, Israel, Russia and France. As a prep, Mitchell won Louisiana Mr. Basketball in 2005 with Denham Springs High School, where he was also a McDonald’s and Parade All-American.

Wade brings two VCU staffers on board 

Wade also announced Friday the hiring of strength and conditioning coach Greg Goldin and Director of Basketball Operations Nelson Hernandez, both of whom served on his staff at VCU last year.

Goldin, 28, worked with Wade at Chattanooga as well.

“Goldin has worked hand-in-hand with Coach Wade at both of his previous stops to integrate technological advancements in player wellness in the weight room, the court and in all facets of the player’s life including sleep studies and nutrition,” the release said. “His strength and conditioning routines are built to suit the aggressive style of play that is planned to be implemented at LSU like what has been played at VCU and Chattanooga under Wade.”

Hernandez, like Wade, spent time at Clemson, where he was video coordinator. He joined Wade’s VCU staff in 2016.

The hires are part of an increased investment in the basketball program from the athletic department. LSU did not have a director of student-athlete development last year.

“We talked about that in the interview process,” Wade told Tiger Rag. “They’re going to certainly work with me here at LSU to make sure we have all the staffing we need to be as good as we can possibly can.”