Ryan Pannone is introduced as the new men’s basketball coach. In his first year with the team, he led them to a 20-11 record in regular season play and an early elimination in the Sun Belt Championship Tournament in the Red Wolves’ first game.

Men’s Basketball Head Coach Ryan Pannone ended his first year with the Arkansas State Red Wolves tied for second and seeded seventh in conference, with a record of 20-12. While some may doubt his leadership and outcome, I believe his first will be his worst year with this team. 

But for next year, I see the Arkansas State Red Wolves going 25-7 in the regular season, losing both games to South Alabama because we can’t seem to figure them out, splitting the series with Troy and Georgia Southern, two random out of conference losses and a MAC-Challenge loss.

The Red Wolves will make it to the finals in the tournament, getting their get-back against Georgia Southern and South Alabama before ultimately getting bounced by Troy in the finals because, well, it’s Troy. 

Ever since his first press conference at A-State, I knew he’d be a coach we can count on and root for. 

Pannone began his time in Jonesboro by meeting students and community members, getting to know them. Chancellor Todd Shields said they made the right call in their hire choice. 

“His actions and values will help not only men’s basketball, but A-State athletics, the university and our entire community,” Shields said. 

Pannone has always been focused on who his players are as people, ever since before the introductory Hoops and Howls event.

“We had to do a really good job of, number one, evaluating character, who they are as human beings. Number two, evaluating who they are as a player and their talent. And then how do they fit as pieces to our system?” Pannone said. 

While a coach should be focused on the outcome of the games and the season, which Pannone is, the Red Wolves coach is also focused on his players’ futures and their character.

This is something Pannone has drilled continuously throughout his press conferences. 

“The character that they showed and the perseverance that they showed, I’m incredibly proud of because at the end of the day, basketball ends for all of us and who you are as a man and how you impact this world,” Pannone said. “Our job is to win because if we do not win as college coaches, for sure we get fired. But I’m proud of them as people because that’s going to be far more important in the realms of their life.”

Pannone is the man for the job because he’s not just creating good players, he’s developing good men and good relationships, something that carries to the gameday hardwood.

A 20-win record with a whole new team and staff is nothing to scoff at, either. Sure, there were some games the team definitely should’ve won, but don’t forget Pannone and company broke program records this season. 

For instance, Pannone led the Red Wolves to their first 20 win season since 2019 and had one of the best first-year coaching performances in program history, surpassing the win totals of several previous head coaches, including current South Florida Bulls head coach Bryan Hodgson.

Another notable accomplishment by the former Alabama assistant coach was a program record of nine road wins.

Pannone has a bright future ahead as basketball head coach with the Red Wolves. Looking ahead, I see him finishing the season with a Sun Belt tournament win and entry into the post-season bracket.  

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