University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Isaiah Carson Elevated to Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
10/25/2022 1:57:00 PM | Men's Basketball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. --Â Southern Miss men's basketball coach Jay Ladner recently finalized the addition of assistant coach Isaiah Carson to his staff for the 2022-23 season.
"I am extremely humbled and honored to become a full-time assistant coach at Southern Miss and I thank God for the blessing," Carson said. "I appreciate coach Ladner and I am forever grateful to him for giving me my first Division I coaching opportunity as a graduate assistant while I worked towards my master's degree, which means a lot to me and my family.
"It's an honor to receive this promotion -- seeing my loyalty and hard work be recognized. I extend gratitude to our Athletic Director Jermey McClain and Jeff Mitchell for the opportunity to further commit myself to the program, the institution, and the greater community."
Carson was most recently a graduate assistant with the men's basketball program from 2020-22. He helped former Golden Eagles Jaron Pierre, Jr. and Rashad Bolden earn spots on the Conference USA All-Freshman Team. Under Carson's watch, Tyler Stevenson earned C-USA Honorable Mention honors last season. The Philadelphia native also helped current Golden Eagle DeAndre Pinckney improve his three-point percentage by nearly three percent over his first two seasons in Hattiesburg. Pinckney also improved his free throw percentage to 79 percent last season.Â
Carson came to Hattiesburg following a one-year stint at Oklahoma Panhandle State, and prior to that he spent two years at Southwestern Christian University (Okla.) from 2017-19. He was an assistant coach at both schools. He also has experience as the head coach and recruiting director at Combine Academy Prep in Atlanta while spending several years at University of Alabama camps under Avery Johnson and as a player development trainer in multiple cities.
Carson is motivated by his love for the game and helping young athletes get better both on and off the court. He is on the Board of Directors for the non-profit organization, Young Educated Athletes (Y.E.A)/Team Action, where he is responsible for logistical operations, assisting in organizing camps and clinics, coaching, training and most importantly mentoring youth throughout the year. He also does skill development for Compete Elite and trains various professional basketball athletes throughout the offseason.
"Further, I want to thank my former head coach Mark Laird for hiring me in 2018 as his assistant and for my mentor, Jon Mack, on giving me my start as a Division III coach," Carson said. "You are who you surround yourself with and I want to thank the coaches I've been blessed to learn from and work with over the past two years as a graduate assistant here -- Kyle Roane, Dalonte Hill, Clearance Weatherspoon and Anthony Winchester. All have played a part in helping shape me into the coach I am today.
"Last, but not least, thanks to my family and friends who believe in me and continuously push me to be a great coach. I am very blessed to do something I love everyday pouring into the lives of these young men and I look forward to living out my purpose and continue to build champions on and off the court." With that being said "Southern Miss….TO THE TOP!"
Carson's playing career at the University of Valley Forge (Pa.) lasted from 2009-13, where he was a point guard and two-year team captain. Following an ACL injury, he became a student assistant from January-December 2013 and later a full-time assistant coach/director of operations from Jan. 2014 - March 2016.
He earned his bachelor's degree in human services from Southwest Christian in May 2019. Carson hails from the Olney section of Philadelphia and has three brothers: Almeer, Tarif and Vaughn.
"I am extremely humbled and honored to become a full-time assistant coach at Southern Miss and I thank God for the blessing," Carson said. "I appreciate coach Ladner and I am forever grateful to him for giving me my first Division I coaching opportunity as a graduate assistant while I worked towards my master's degree, which means a lot to me and my family.
"It's an honor to receive this promotion -- seeing my loyalty and hard work be recognized. I extend gratitude to our Athletic Director Jermey McClain and Jeff Mitchell for the opportunity to further commit myself to the program, the institution, and the greater community."
Carson was most recently a graduate assistant with the men's basketball program from 2020-22. He helped former Golden Eagles Jaron Pierre, Jr. and Rashad Bolden earn spots on the Conference USA All-Freshman Team. Under Carson's watch, Tyler Stevenson earned C-USA Honorable Mention honors last season. The Philadelphia native also helped current Golden Eagle DeAndre Pinckney improve his three-point percentage by nearly three percent over his first two seasons in Hattiesburg. Pinckney also improved his free throw percentage to 79 percent last season.Â
Carson came to Hattiesburg following a one-year stint at Oklahoma Panhandle State, and prior to that he spent two years at Southwestern Christian University (Okla.) from 2017-19. He was an assistant coach at both schools. He also has experience as the head coach and recruiting director at Combine Academy Prep in Atlanta while spending several years at University of Alabama camps under Avery Johnson and as a player development trainer in multiple cities.
Carson is motivated by his love for the game and helping young athletes get better both on and off the court. He is on the Board of Directors for the non-profit organization, Young Educated Athletes (Y.E.A)/Team Action, where he is responsible for logistical operations, assisting in organizing camps and clinics, coaching, training and most importantly mentoring youth throughout the year. He also does skill development for Compete Elite and trains various professional basketball athletes throughout the offseason.
"Further, I want to thank my former head coach Mark Laird for hiring me in 2018 as his assistant and for my mentor, Jon Mack, on giving me my start as a Division III coach," Carson said. "You are who you surround yourself with and I want to thank the coaches I've been blessed to learn from and work with over the past two years as a graduate assistant here -- Kyle Roane, Dalonte Hill, Clearance Weatherspoon and Anthony Winchester. All have played a part in helping shape me into the coach I am today.
"Last, but not least, thanks to my family and friends who believe in me and continuously push me to be a great coach. I am very blessed to do something I love everyday pouring into the lives of these young men and I look forward to living out my purpose and continue to build champions on and off the court." With that being said "Southern Miss….TO THE TOP!"
Carson's playing career at the University of Valley Forge (Pa.) lasted from 2009-13, where he was a point guard and two-year team captain. Following an ACL injury, he became a student assistant from January-December 2013 and later a full-time assistant coach/director of operations from Jan. 2014 - March 2016.
He earned his bachelor's degree in human services from Southwest Christian in May 2019. Carson hails from the Olney section of Philadelphia and has three brothers: Almeer, Tarif and Vaughn.
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