Missouri Basketball Makes Surprising Move to Fill Key Staff Role—What This Means for the Season Ahead

Change is in the air at Missouri basketball, and it’s stirring up more than just the offseason buzz. On Tuesday, the Tigers welcomed Griffin McHone as their new director of basketball operations—a move that signals fresh energy behind the scenes. McHone steps in after Dalon King’s departure to Cleveland State, bringing with him a diverse background that blends coaching experience and administrative savvy. From his recent stint as an assistant at USF to his critical role at Kennesaw State during a historic NCAA Tournament run, McHone’s journey has been marked by steady climbs and meaningful wins. As Missouri looks to fine-tune its coaching lineup ahead of the 2025-26 season, this addition not only fills a vital back-office role but hints at a strategic shift under Coach Dennis Gates’ watchful eye. The Tigers’ ambitions are clear—building a staff that’s as committed to player development as it is to winning on the court. Let’s delve into what McHone brings to the table and how this fits into the evolving puzzle that is Missouri basketball’s future.LEARN MOREMizzou is close to rounding out its coaching and administrative staff for the 2025-26 season.”It is an incredible honor to join Coach Gates and his staff at the University of Missouri,” McHone said in the release. “I’m excited to be part of a basketball program with a strong commitment to excellence and with a passionate and supportive fan base. Coach Gates is a tremendous leader, and I’m looking forward to working alongside him and a staff that has a deep devotion for developing young men on and off the court. My family and I can’t wait to get to Mizzou and get to work.”At both stops, McHone worked for late head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, who died last October.

McHone has assistant coaching experience in addition to time as a director of basketball operations. He was most recently an assistant coach last season at USF, where he started as a director of player development the year prior.The Tigers also are looking for a special assistant to the head coach, per a posting originally listed May 13. Last season, Nutt occupied that role.

McHone was a graduate assistant and student manager on Billy Kennedy’s Texas A&M staff between 2015-19.The Tigers hired Steve Wright from Duquesne as an assistant coach in April. Mizzou elevated David “Dickey” Nutt to an assistant role after Nutt briefly stepped away from coaching as he battled cancer. McHone replaces Dalon King, who left the Tigers to become an assistant coach on former Mizzou assistant Rob Summers’ staff at Cleveland State.

McHone was the director of basketball operations at Kennesaw State from 2019-2023, which overlapped with the Owls’ first winning season since moving to the Division-I level and its first NCAA Tournament appearance after winning the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament title in the 2022-23 season.

Mizzou had two open assistant coaching positions as Summers left for Cleveland State and associate head coach Charlton ‘C.Y.’ Young left to take the same role at Miami.Mizzou basketball also is expected to hire a general manager. A job posting for the position was listed on the UM System website on April 15.”We’re excited to welcome Griffin and his family to Mizzou as our new director of basketball operations,” Missouri coach Dennis Gates said in a news release. “Griffin is somebody who has quickly climbed the ranks in our sport, winning at each stop along the way. He brings a unique perspective to Mizzou, having worked a number of roles and with some of the top coaches in basketball. We look forward to him joining our program and continuing his pattern of success.”

The director of basketball operations is typically responsible for a number of day-to-day administrative duties, often including marketing games and events, scheduling facilities and producing and analyzing game and practice film. 

Missouri basketball officially announced Tuesday that it has hired Griffin McHone as its next director of basketball operations.