Kansas State Basketball: 8 candidates to replace Bruce Weber as head coach

Matt McMahon

There are so many angles we could start with to talk about McMahon, so we’ll try to run through as many as we can. This man is certainly one of the home-run type hires among mid-major coaches, especially when you consider the talent he’s brought to Murray State. Then consider some of the great head coaches who cut their teeth as coaches at Murray State, including current UCLA coach Mick Cronin.

McMahon spent most of his early career as a player and assistant at Appalachian State and is certainly familiar with the state of Tennessee. He was an assistant under Steve Prohm and succeeding him at Murray State in 2015. During these last seven years, he’s won five OVC regular-season titles and led the Racers to three NCAA Tournaments. The highlight was of course the 2019 team led by NBA All-Star Ja Morant, who upset Marquette in the NCAA Tournament.

For years to come, McMahon’s ability to find the hidden gem in Morant is going to make him an intriguing hire by any power conference program. He doesn’t have any direct connections to the state of Kansas or the Big 12, but he’s been successful as a head coach, with a 30-2 mark so far this season. Murray State joins the MVC next season; could McMahon be lured away before the big transition?