Mike Kelly, a veteran basketball strategist with a storied international career, has accepted an assistant coaching position at Pacific University.
A Global Coaching Resume
Kelly’s résumé reads like a world tour of the sport. He has guided clubs in three professional leagues, most recently shaping the Shenzen Leopards’ run to the 2026 semifinals in China’s top division, and earlier steering the Australian Men’s National Team to a flawless 6‑0 sweep that captured the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup title, the nation’s second championship in the tournament’s history.
His earlier stints include a championship‑winning season with the Cairns Taipans, where he earned Coach of the Year honors in 2020, and a title‑contributing role with the NBL’s championship side in 2018. He also helped Australia qualify for the 2023 FIBA World Cup with a perfect 3‑0 record in the qualifying window.
Before his overseas adventures, Kelly spent five years as an assistant at Utah Valley University, where his contributions helped the program achieve its first Division‑I postseason appearance in 2012 and produced an All‑American player in 2011. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Westmont College (1989) and a master’s from Concordia University (2008).
Expressing enthusiasm about returning to California, Kelly said he looks forward to collaborating with Coach Dave Smart to nurture the next generation of student‑athletes at Pacific.