Tennessee State University (TSU) basketball is making big moves, and the Tigers just got a major boost on the sidelines. Former Duke MBB star turned TSU hoops head coach Nolan Smith announced that former NBA veteran DerMarr Johnson will join his HBCU staff as an assistant coach for the 2025–26 season.
Johnson, a 6-foot-9 Washington, D.C. native, isn't just another name in the coaching carousel-he's a former lottery pick, a 16-year pro, and a player who once defined versatility before "unicorn" became a buzzword. He logged seven seasons in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, and San Antonio Spurs before extending his career overseas in nearly a dozen countries.
Now, he brings that wealth of experience to an HBCU program eager to rise under Smith, the former Duke standout and national champion.
"He comes here with a hunger to be a part of something big," Smith said. "At 6-foot-9, Coach was one of the original unicorns. He has the blueprint to now teach it to the current and future Tigers."
Johnson's story started with hype few could match. At Maine Central Institute, he was named Parade National High School Player of the Year in 1999. He then starred at Cincinnati under Hall of Fame coach Bob Huggins. In his lone season with the Bearcats, Johnson averaged 13 points per game, earned Conference USA Freshman of the Year, and helped lead a team ranked No. 1 nationally for 12 weeks alongside Kenyon Martin.
That spring, Johnson declared for the NBA Draft and went sixth overall to the Hawks. His pro career was nearly derailed after a devastating car accident fractured four vertebrae in his neck. But Johnson battled back, carving out 344 NBA appearances before taking his game around the globe.
When the playing days ended, DerMarr Johnson transitioned into coaching. He returned to Cincinnati in 2017 as a student assistant while completing his degree, then moved into player development. His stops included Cincinnati, where he ran individual growth plans for the Bearcats, and West Virginia, where he spent two seasons on Bob Huggins' staff.
That mix of playing pedigree, international experience, and developmental chops is exactly what excites Nolan Smith about adding Johnson to Tennessee State's bench.
What It Means for TSU and HBCU Hoops
For Tennessee State University, the move is more than just filling a coaching seat. It's a statement. Smith, who's still building his coaching identity after years in the ACC spotlight, now has a trusted friend and proven basketball mind beside him. Together, the duo blends blue-blood basketball DNA with NBA and international credentials-an attractive combination for recruits who want to see a clear path from HBCU gyms to the pros.
HBCU basketball is already riding momentum, with more players earning pro looks and more programs investing in top-tier staffs. Adding an NBA vet like Johnson to TSU's sideline is another sign that the gap is closing.
For Smith and Johnson, though, the goal is simple: build a culture of winning in Nashville. And the Tigers’ journey just got a serious shot of credibility.
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