On March 30, 2025, Arkansas State announced the hiring of Ryan Pannone as the Red Wolves’ 18th head men’s basketball coach. Pannone, with 23 years of experience, has built a reputation as one of the nation’s top offensive minds and player-development coaches.
A 2025 selection to Silver Waves Media's prestigious Elite 75 Future Head Coach Power Lunch, Pannone (pronounced Puh-Known) comes to A-State after most recently spending the last two seasons as an assistant coach at Alabama. The Crimson Tide boasted the nation's highest scoring average both years as Pannone helped lead the program to Final Four and Elite Eight appearances in the NCAA Tournament in 2023-24 and 2024-25, respectively. However, his path to Jonesboro also went through six different countries, including the United States, China, Germany, Israel, Korea and Slovakia.
Pannone owns a wealth of experience at numerous levels, including NCAA Division I, NBA, G-League, various professional leagues overseas, junior college, high school and AAU. He has claimed 204 career wins in nine years as a head coach, including stops with the G-League's Erie BayHawks and Birmingham Squadron and the Slovak Basketball League's BC Prievidza.
His background includes 18 years of coaching players with NBA experience. He has coached 82 total NBA players and 46 players selected in the First Round of the NBA Draft, including 30 Lottery picks.
Serving as Alabama's offensive coordinator under head coach Nate Oats, Pannone orchestrated the country's most explosive offenses the last two seasons. The Crimson Tide averaged over 90 points per game both of his years in Tuscaloosa, including a school-record 90.7 average in 2024-25. Alabama made an NCAA Tournament-record 25 three pointers in its Sweet 16 victory over BYU.
The Crimson Tide eclipsed 100 points in 17 contests during Pannone's time with the program, including an SEC-record nine games this year. Alabama also led the nation in offensive tempo each of the last two years while posting a combined 53-21 record.
Pannone spent the season prior to his arrival at Alabama as an assistant coach for the NBA's New Orleans Pelicans, helping lead the squad to 42 victories and a Play-In Tournament berth.
He served as head coach of both the Erie BayHawks and Birmingham Squadron as part of the NBA's G-League from 2019-22. His squads made back-to-back playoff appearances his last two seasons and had 11 combined NBA call-ups.
Pannone was also on the BayHawks coaching staff as an assistant during their 2014-15 campaign, but spent a season before that and the four years after coaching internationally.
His first overseas coaching opportunity came in 2013-14 as an assistant with the Guangzhou Long Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association. His next international coaching job came with the Hanau (Germany) White Wings, also as an assistant in 2015-16.
The 2016-17 season saw Pannone work as an assistant coach with Hapoel Jerusalem, helping the team appear in the Final Four of the EuroCup and claim the Israel Winner League Championship. He then spent the following year as head coach for a BC Prievidza (Slovakia) team that led its league in defense, opponent points per game, rebounding and three-point field goals made and attempted.
Pannone returned to Hapoel Jerusalem as an assistant coach for the 2018-19 season, when the squad led the Champions League in points, assists and rebounds. He also worked remotely as an advanced scout and video coordinator for the Angola National Team in 2019.
Pannone began his coaching career in 2003 while working on his undergraduate degree at the University of South Florida, taking an assistant position at Oldsmar (Fla.) Christian School. He was elevated to head coach three years later in 2006 and served in that role until 2011, posting a 131-42 record that included wins over three USA Today nationally-ranked teams.
Following his time at Oldsmar Christian, and one year before he joined the Guangzhou Long Lions, Pannone spent the 2011-12 campaign as an assistant coach at Wallace State (Ala.) Junior College. His lone season in Hanceville saw the Lions win the Region XXII Championship and Alabama State Championship. They were one of 16 teams in the country to qualify for the JUNCO National Tournament.
In addition to his numerous coaching stops from 2006-19, Pannone worked at the Pro Training Center as its NBA Director. During that time, he oversaw the development of over 50 NBA players, 33 First-Round NBA Draft selections and 22 Lottery picks.
The Clearwater, Fla., native earned his bachelor's degree in general studies with a concentration of public health from the University of South Florida in 2011. While working on his degree, he was a student manager for the men's basketball program under Robert McCullum in 2006-07.
Pannone and his wife, Dr. Sarah Pannone, have three children -- Raylan (7), Dahlia (5), Trajan (3).
What They're Saying
"Ryan Pannone is a great hire for Arkansas State. He has an elite basketball IQ and pairs that with a relentless work ethic that gives him the ability to be a great teacher and developer of talent. Ryan possesses one of the elite offensive minds in basketball, creating a system for his players to thrive in as Alabama led the nation in scoring during his two years in Tuscaloosa. His experience in the NBA, overseas and in college basketball has prepared him for the job. He will be a great fit in Jonesboro.
Nate Oats, Alabama Head Coach
"Ryan has one of the brightest basketball minds in the business. His knowledge, work ethic, passion and experience far outweighs his years. He will have tremendous success at Arkansas State!"
Scott Drew, Baylor Head Coach
"Ryan Pannone is one of the top basketball minds in the game. Many of us in the profession have sought him out for ideas. No one studies the game more than Ryan. And if you're a player, you'll get a chance to play for a guy who has coached the game at every level. He can help you get where you want to go."
Stan Van Gundy, current NBA and college basketball commentator and former NBA head coach
"Ryan Pannone is one of, if not the smartest, hardest working coaches I've ever had the pleasure to work with. He's got a devotion for players and a passion for the game, and it shows immensely through his creativity with X's and O's and player development. He's a leader and a competitor and an elite level head coach. Any program would be fortunate to have him serving in any capacity.
Bryson Graham, New Orleans Pelicans General Manager
"I am incredibly happy for this next opportunity for Ryan. He has a tremendous passion for the game of basketball and teaching it to his players. Every time we speak he is about to watch film or has just finished watching film. He is always studying how he can improve as a coach and different ways for his players and teams to get better. Arkansas State is in great hands with Ryan."
Trajan Langdon, Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations
“Ryan is one of the best basketball minds I have been around. He has an unmatched passion to compete and coach at the highest level. This is the perfect hire for Arkansas State! I cannot wait to see the success he will bring!”
Ben McCollum, Iowa Head Coach
“Ryan Pannone is an outstanding basketball mind and someone I have respected in our profession for a long time. Arkansas State is getting a tireless worker, a basketball junkie and someone who is incredibly competent in the X’s and O’s of basketball. Ryan is a connector of people and will represent the Jonesboro community with class and dignity.”
Dusty May, Michigan Head Coach
“Ryan is an incredible hire at Arkansas State. He is a tireless worker and great basketball mind. His tactical ability, both defensively and offensively, is outstanding. In addition, his players will appreciate his passion and strategy for player development. Ryan will bring with him a strong pedigree, having worked with and for many great coaches, programs and organizations worldwide. He is extremely thoughtful and will combine his previous experiences with his own beliefs as well. We are super excited to watch and follow Ryan and the Red Wolves as he, his family and his staff work diligently to build on the recent success in Jonesboro.”
John Groce, Akron Head Coach
