B
y JACK LeGWIN & ADAM ZAGORIA
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C.- Memphis hired Keelon Lawson as an assistant coach on Wednesday, and on Sunday his middle son, Dedric Lawson, is expected to announce for the Tigers.
Dedric Lawson is a 6-foot-8 2016 power forward from Memphis Hamilton who is down to Kentucky and Memphis. Memphis TV anchor Doc Holliday Tweeted Dedric would announce Sunday.
“That would probably seal the deal for me, to commit to Memphis,” Lawson told CBS Sports at the LeBron James Skills Academy last week in reference to the school potentially hiring his father.
His older brother K.J. Lawson is a 6-7 2015 forward who committed to Memphis last October. Their is a third brother, Jonathan, who is a highly regarded sixth-grade player.
“We’re excited about Keelon joining our staff,” Memphis head coach Josh Pastner said in a statement. “Keelon is a great fit for our program. We welcome Keelon to the Tigers basketball family.”
Keelon Lawson served as the Hamilton High School boys basketball head coach from 2003 through this past season. During that time, Lawson guided the Wildcats to three Tennessee state playoff appearances (2006, 2008, 2014), two district titles (2006, 2007), two regional crowns (2006, 2014) and one state championship (2006).
Following the 2005-06 season, Lawson was honored as the Tennessee Sports Writers Association (TSWA) Coach of the Year and the Memphis Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Coach of the Year.
Lawson also served as the Hamilton High School athletics director from 2003-08.
“I’m thrilled and grateful for this opportunity,” said Lawson. “I’m looking forward to working with Coach Pastner and his staff to help carry on the great tradition of Tigers basketball.”
Memphis’s decision to hire Keelon is nothing new.
Larry Brown once hired Danny Manning’s father at Kansas.
Seton Hall recently hired Tiny Morton, the high school coach of McDonald’s All-American Isaiah Whitehead, and Oliver Antigua, a mentor to forward Angel Deglado. Antigua later took a job at South Florida.
Photo- 247 Sports
