Leonard Perry

{{Infobox college coach

| name = Leonard Perry

| image = Leonard Perry in 2021.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Perry in 2021.

| current_title = Assistant Coach

| current_team = Weber State

| current_conference = Big Sky

| current_record =

| contract =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|6|14}}

| birth_place = Dallas, Texas, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| alma_mater =

| player_years1 = 1987–1989

| player_team1 = McLennan CC

| player_years2 = 1989–1991

| player_team2 = Idaho

| player_positions = Shooting guard / point guard

| coach_years1 = 1995–1998

| coach_team1 = Utah State (assistant)

| coach_years2 = 1998–1999

| coach_team2 = Iowa State (assistant)

| coach_years3 = 1999–2001

| coach_team3 = Iowa State (associate HC)

| coach_years4 = 2001–2006

| coach_team4 = Idaho

| coach_years5 = 2006–2007

| coach_team5 = Indiana Pacers (assistant)

| coach_years6 = 2007–2008

| coach_team6 = Indiana Pacers (assistant/scout)

| coach_years7 = 2008–2011

| coach_team7 = Indiana Pacers (scout)

| coach_years8 = 2011–2012

| coach_team8 = Southern Miss (assistant)

| coach_years9 = 2012–2016

| coach_team9 = Colorado State (associate HC)

| coach_years10 = 2016–2021

| coach_team10 = Pacific (associate HC)

| coach_years11 = 2021–2024

| coach_team11 = Pacific

| coach_years12 = 2024–present

| coach_team12 = Weber State (assistant)

| overall_record = {{winpct|77|162|record=y}}

| bowl_record =

| tournament_record =

| championships =

| awards =

| coaching_records =

}}

Leonard Perry Jr. (born June 13, 1968) is an American college basketball coach, who is currently an assistant coach at Weber State. He most recently served as the head coach at the University of the Pacific from 2021 to 2024. Originally from Dallas, Perry played college basketball at McLennan Community College and the University of Idaho. As a senior at Idaho playing under head coach Larry Eustachy, Perry was the starting point guard on the 1991 Big Sky Conference Tournament championship team that appeared in the 1991 NCAA Tournament.

Perry has been a college basketball coach since 1995, as an assistant under Eustachy at Idaho, Utah State, Iowa State, Southern Miss, and Colorado State. From 2001 to 2006, Perry was head coach at Idaho. He also worked for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA for five years, starting as assistant coach in the 2006–07 season and as a scout from 2007 to 2011.

From 2016 to 2021, Perry was assistant coach at the University of the Pacific under Damon Stoudamire. After Stoudamire resigned to take an NBA assistant coaching job, Perry was promoted to head coach at Pacific in 2021.

Early life and education

Born and raised in Dallas, Perry graduated from Justin F. Kimball High School in Dallas in 1986. Perry was an honorable mention All-American basketball player at Kimball.{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19991109142130/http://www.fansonly.com/schools/iast/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/iast-m-baskbl-perry.html|archivedate=November 9, 1999|title=Leonard Perry|url=http://www.fansonly.com/schools/iast/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/iast-m-baskbl-perry.html|publisher=Iowa State University|accessdate=December 11, 2022|url-status=dead}}

From 1986 to 1988, Perry attended McLennan Community College, playing at point guard.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=V5UrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ldAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2049%2C2396789 |newspaper=Idahonian |location=Moscow |title=Two more commit to Cougars |date=April 12, 1989 |page=1C }} Perry transferred to the University of Idaho in 1988, when Street & Smith ranked Perry among the best junior college transfers in the nation.

At Idaho, Perry played under head coach Larry Eustachy for Idaho Vandals men's basketball from 1989 to 1991.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6SYuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=htAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3671%2C689821 |newspaper=Idahonian |location=Moscow |title=Ministers of defense |last=Schulte |first=Chris |date=February 7, 1991 |page=1C }} As a senior, Perry averaged 7.0 points and 2.8 rebounds on an Idaho team that won the 1991 Big Sky Conference Tournament and qualified for the NCAA Tournament.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/idaho/1991.html|title= 1990-91 Idaho Roster and Stats |publisher=Sports Reference|accessdate=December 11, 2022}}

While completing his undergraduate degree, Perry was a student assistant coach at Idaho from 1993 to 1995, again under Eustachy. Perry graduated from Idaho in 1995 with a bachelor's degree in general studies with an emphasis on English.

Coaching career

=Early coaching career (1995–2001)=

From 1995 to 1998, Perry was an assistant coach at Utah State on Eustachy's staff. Utah State had three straight winning seasons and appeared in the 1998 NCAA Tournament in that time period.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/utah-state/|title= Utah State Aggies School History |publisher=Sports Reference|accessdate=December 11, 2022}}

Perry then followed Eustachy to Iowa State, serving as assistant coach from 1998 to 2000 and associate head coach in the 2000–01 season.{{cite web|url=https://pacifictigers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/leonard-perry/905|title=Leonard Perry|publisher=University of the Pacific|accessdate=December 11, 2022}} The 1999–2000 Iowa State team finished 32–5, advanced to the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament, and was ranked no. 6 in the final AP Top 25 poll.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/iowa-state/2000.html|title= 1999-00 Iowa State Roster and Stats |publisher=Sports Reference|accessdate=December 11, 2022}} Iowa State then had a second straight NCAA Tournament appearance in 2001.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/iowa-state/2001.html|title= 2000-01 Iowa State Roster and Stats |publisher=Sports Reference|accessdate=December 11, 2022}}

=Idaho head coach (2001–2006)=

Perry was head coach at Idaho from 2001 to 2006.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pmlfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qC4MAAAAIBAJ&pg=3908%2C1601720 |newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=Idaho |title=Perry returns to his Moscow roots |last=Grummert |first=Dale |date=March 21, 2001 |page=1B}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=i2VWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=a_IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1709%2C98851 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |last=Meehan |first=Jim |title=Perry gets to the point and then gets to work |date=March 21, 2001 |page=C1 }}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gdoyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IvAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2932%2C1248586 |newspaper=Moscow-Pullman Daily News |location=Idaho-Washington |title=Idaho pulls the plug on Perry |last=Bauer |first=Doug |date=March 10, 2006 |page=1B }} Inheriting a 6–21 team, Perry had a 9–19 record in his first season at Idaho.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/leonard-perry-1.html|title=Leonard Perry|publisher=Sports Reference|accessdate=December 11, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/idaho/2001.html|title= 2000-01 Idaho Roster and Stats |publisher=Sports Reference|accessdate=December 11, 2022}}

In the next two seasons, Idaho improved to 13–15 in 2002–03 and 14–16 in 2003–04. However, Idaho won only 12 games in the 2004–05 and 2005–06 seasons combined, resulting in Idaho firing Perry on March 9, 2006.

=Later assistant career (2006–2021)=

In the 2006–07 season, Perry was an assistant coach for the Indiana Pacers NBA team under Rick Carlisle.{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/IND/2007.html|title= 2006-07 Indiana Pacers Roster and Stats |publisher=Basketball Reference|accessdate=December 11, 2022}} Perry remained with the Pacers from 2007 to 2011 in a different role as a talent scout; he also directed professional scouting for the NBA and NBA Development League in 2008.

Perry returned to coaching as an assistant coach at Southern Miss in the 2011–12 season, working again under head coach Eustachy. That season, Southern Miss finished 25–9 and appeared in the NCAA Tournament.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/southern-mississippi/2012.html|title= 2011-12 Southern Miss Roster and Stats |publisher=Sports Reference|accessdate=December 11, 2022}}

From 2012 to 2016, Perry was associate head coach at Colorado State under Eustachy. The 2012–13 Colorado State team appeared in the NCAA Tournament and had the program's first AP Top 25 ranking since the 1950s. Colorado State later appeared in the 2015 National Invitation Tournament.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/colorado-state/|title= Colorado State Rams School History |publisher=Sports Reference|accessdate=December 11, 2022}}

In 2016, Perry became associate head coach for new head coach Damon Stoudamire at the University of the Pacific.{{cite web |url=http://www.pacifictigers.com/sports/m-baskbl/2015-16/releases/20160425lxzmr1 |title=Leonard Perry Named Basketball's Associate Head Coach |publisher=University of the Pacific|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429153608/http://www.pacifictigers.com/sports/m-baskbl/2015-16/releases/20160425lxzmr1 |archive-date=2016-04-29}} He would serve in that position for five seasons. During Perry's tenure, Pacific improved from 11 wins in 2016–17 to 23 wins in 2019–20.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/pacific/|title= Pacific Tigers School History |publisher=Sports Reference|accessdate=December 11, 2022}}

=Pacific head coach (2021–2024)=

On July 7, 2021, Pacific promoted Perry to head coach after Stoudamire resigned to be an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics.{{cite web|url=https://pacifictigers.com/news/2021/7/7/general-leonard-perry-named-pacific-head-mens-basketball-coach.aspx|title=Leonard Perry Named Pacific Head Men's Basketball Coach|publisher=University of the Pacific|date=July 7, 2021|accessdate=December 11, 2022}} In the 2022–23 season, Pacific went 15–18 overall in Perry's second season as head coach as the team tied for 5th with a record of 7–9 in the WCC.

Personal life

Perry has five children and is married to Christina Erickson, a native of Mullan, Idaho, who he met when they attended the University of Idaho.{{cite web|url=https://govandals.com/news/2001/3/20/perry_hired_as_vandals_head_basketball_coach|title=Perry hired as Vandals' head basketball coach|publisher=University of Idaho|accessdate=December 11, 2022|date=March 20, 2001}}

Head coaching record

{{CBB Yearly Record Start

|type=coach

|conference=

|postseason=

|poll=no

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead

|name=Idaho Vandals

|startyear=2001

|conference=Big West Conference{{cite web|url=http://www.bigwest.org/sports/mbball/info/records12.pdf|title=2013–2014 Big West Conference men's basketball record book|year=2013|publisher=Big West Conference|accessdate=28 March 2014}}

|endyear=2005

|}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| season = 2001–02

| name = Idaho

| overall = 9–19

| conference = 6–12

| confstanding = 8th

| postseason =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| season = 2002–03

| name = Idaho

| overall = 13–15

| conference = 9–9

| confstanding = 5th

| postseason =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| season = 2003–04

| name = Idaho

| overall = 14–16

| conference = 9–9

| confstanding = 4th

| postseason =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| season = 2004–05

| name = Idaho

| overall = 8–22

| conference = 6–12

| confstanding = 8th

| postseason =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead

|name=Idaho Vandals

|startyear=2005

|conference=Western Athletic Conference{{Cite web |url=http://www.wacsports.com/fls/10100/stats/basketballm/2005/confsked.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=2014-03-28 |archive-date=2014-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328223551/http://www.wacsports.com/fls/10100/stats/basketballm/2005/confsked.htm |url-status=dead }}

|endyear=2006

|}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| season = 2005–06

| name = Idaho

| overall = 4–25

| conference = 1–15

| confstanding = 9th

| postseason =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal

| name = Idaho

| overall = {{winpct|48|97|record=y}}

| confrecord = {{winpct|31|56|record=y}}

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead

|name=Pacific Tigers

|startyear=2021

|conference=West Coast Conference

|endyear=2024

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| season = 2021–22

| name = Pacific

| overall = 8–22

| conference = 3–11

| confstanding = 8th

| postseason =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| season = 2022–23

| name = Pacific

| overall = 15–18

| conference = 7–9

| confstanding = T–5th

| postseason =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| season = 2023–24

| name = Pacific

| overall = 6–25

| conference = 0–16

| confstanding = 9th

| postseason =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal

| name = Pacific

| overall = {{winpct|29|65|record=y}}

| confrecord = {{winpct|10|36|record=y}}

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record End

|overall= {{winpct|77|162|record=y}}

|poll=no

|polltype=

}}

References

External links

[http://www.pacifictigers.com/sports/m-baskbl/coaches/Perry_Leonard_Bio?view=bio Pacific Tigers basketball] – Leonard Perry
[http://www.csurams.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/perry_leonard00.html Colorado State Rams basketball] – Leonard Perry

Category:1968 births

Category:Living people

Category:American basketball scouts

Category:American men's basketball players

Category:Basketball coaches from Texas

Category:Basketball players from Dallas

Category:College men's basketball head coaches in the United States

Category:Colorado State Rams men's basketball coaches

Category:Guards (basketball)

Category:Idaho Vandals men's basketball coaches

Category:Idaho Vandals men's basketball players

Category:Indiana Pacers assistant coaches