CHARLOTTE - Johnson C. Smith University President, Dr. Valerie Kinloch has announced Mr. Antwain Banks as the Interim Head Men's Basketball Coach. His appointment, which is on an interim basis for the year, is effective May 15, 2024. Banks will be reporting directly to Dr. Denisha Hendricks (new Athletics Director).
Prior to JCSU, Banks was on the IUPUI basketball staff in June 2021 as an assistant coach on the Jaguars' staff and will largely work with guards and wings and focus on defense. Banks, a South Bend, Ind.-native, served as IUPUI's Director of Operations during the 2015-16 season. He was named one of the top five assistant coaches in the SWAC by Stadium Insider's Jeff Goodman during the 2020-21 season.
He returned to IUPUI after spending the past three seasons as an assistant coach at Alabama A&M. AAMU relied heavily on freshmen guards during his time on staff, as he helped lead them to their most regular season wins since 2015-16.
In 2020-21, AAMU opened the season 4-0 for the first time in the program's Division I era (1998-99) and opened SWAC play with back-to-back wins for the first time since 2014. They owned the nation's top RPI in the season's early going, becoming the first-ever HBCU team to claim the nation's top spot. AAMU boasted a pair of All-SWAC sophomore guards in Garrett Hicks and Jalen Johnson in Banks' final season with the program and went 5-1 against in-state mid-major foes over the final two seasons with victories over Alabama State, Jacksonville State, North Alabama, Troy and South Alabama, which was ranked No. 16 in the Mid-Major Top 25 at the time. Hicks finished his AAMU career as the third-leading scorer in program history.
Johnson was later named a Second Team BOXTOROW All-American following the 2021 season. That AAMU team was ranked as one of the nation's top defensive teams, finishing No. 4 in three-point field goal percentage defense and No. 14 in field goal percentage defense.
In 2019-20, AAMU claimed its most SWAC wins since 2015-16 and captured eight wins during the regular season. His first season saw AAMU begin to turn the corner as they earned their first regular season non-conference win and first back-to-back wins since the 2015-16 season. Andre Kennedy played his was to the All-SWAC Team and the Bulldogs ranked among the league's top five in scoring defense, defensive rebounding, assists and steals per game. In addition, nine members of the AAMU team were named to the AD's Honor Roll.
Before that, Banks was an assistant coach at Clayton State (Ga.) University where he helped the Lakers to a 24-7 mark in 2017-18, which included a Peach Belt Conference Co-Championship and an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament. Clayton State's 24 victories were the second-most in program history while the Lakers went 19-3 in league play. They finished the year fourth in the regional rankings and ultimately advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Before coming to IUPUI, Banks was head coach at Kentucky State University, serving at the top of the Thorobreds program for four seasons.
In his time as the head coach at Kentucky State Banks amassed an overall record of 51-59. Banks joined Kentucky State as an assistant coach prior to the 2009-10 season. After serving two years as an assistant coach and one year as interim head coach during the 2011-12 season, he was promoted to head coach prior to the 2012-13 season.
In 2013-14 Kentucky State finished 15-14 overall and 10-7 in SIAC action. The Thorobreds entered the SIAC Championship Tournament as the No. 3 seed out of the SIAC West Division. It came on the heels of a 15-12 mark in 2012-13, giving the Thorobreds their first back-to-back winning seasons since the 1992-93 and 1993-94 seasons.
In his lone season as the Interim Head Coach, Banks led the 2011-12 Thorobreds to a 12-15 overall and 12-12 conference record.
Banks served as KSU's Assistant Men's Basketball Coach for two seasons (2009-10 & 2010-11) and was an integral part in achieving the first winning season since the 1998-99 season. During the 2010-11 season the Thorobreds finished 15-13 overall, 13-11 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC).
Before Kentucky State, Banks spent seven years as a member of the IU Southeast basketball program (two as a player and five as a coach). He helped IUS reach 166 victories (.712 winning percentage) and five appearances at the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Championship. He also helped lead the Grenadiers to the KIAC Tournament finals in six out of seven years. Banks coached four NAIA All-American Honorable Mention athletes and eight KIAC All-Conference players during his five years at IUS.
As a player, Banks guided IU Southeast to back-to-back conference titles for the first time in school history. A two-year starter and co-captain, Banks helped IUS tie a school record for wins (21) and went to the national tournament for the first time in six years.Banks has long been involved in the summer basketball scene, working camps at Indiana, Wake Forest, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Taylor University, IUS and Allan Houston's annual Father & Son Basketball Camp “Father Knows Best”.
Banks, a 1999 graduate of South Bend Adams High School, is an active member of NABC. He was Second Team All-Conference, along with being selected to the Sunburst All-Star Game his senior year. He helped lead the Eagles to an IHSAA Sectional Championship during the 1997-98 season and was a high school teammate of IUPUI Hall of Famer Armando Femia.
After high school, Banks attended Ancilla Junior College where he started as point guard for two years. At Ancilla, Banks helped his team to the first-ever Michigan Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA) conference tournament appearance in school history.
He received his bachelor's degree from IU Southeast in 2004 and earned his Master's Degree from Western Kentucky in 2016.
Banks and his wife Charlene are the proud parents of three - Avyn, Teegan and Jayce.
What are they saying about Coach Banks:
TJ Johnson - Texas State
“Coach Antwan Banks is a high quality coach and an even better person. He prioritizes the holistic development of his players, instilling values of teamwork, resilience, and excellence. Coach Banks's impact goes beyond wins and losses; he is a mentor, motivator, and inspiration to all who have the privilege of being coached by him. He’s a leader of men and a dedicated student of the game. Great Hire!!
Donte Jackson - Grambling State
"Antwain Banks is one of the best in the business. I'm excited that he is getting the opportunity to become a head coach again. Coach Banks is a man of high character, integrity, and is a builder of men. I look forward to him producing a highly competitive team at JCSU!"
Amir Abdur-Rahim -South Florida
"Care, Work Ethic, Evaluation & Connection are the 4 things that make a well rounded Coach. Antwain Banks operates with great Care when it comes to the student athletes he recruits and coaches. Coach Banks is a guy that leaves no stone unturned and lastly he’s connected to the ever evolving recruiting landscape. Lastly his ability to evaluate recruits and opponents makes him the well rounded coach he is."
Cuonzo Martin - Missouri State
"Antwain Banks exemplifies the core values of hard work, discipline, and a desire to build a winning basketball program. He’s dedicated to fostering an environment where his players excel on the court, in the classroom, and in their personal lives. His ultimate goal is to develop future leaders. His commitment to personal growth and team unity sets a high standard for excellence and success.
David Ragland - Evansville
"Banks is one of the most consistent people I know in this profession. From 1999 until now, he has been intentional with staying connected with me. In all facets of life, the most important quality to have is consistency! Banks is a hard worker, extremely knowledgeable in terms of his basketball IQ, resilient but most of all he cares about the importance of the student athletes experience. He is diligent with building relationships and believes in coaching his players fair but hard and loving them harder. I’m excited for both Johnson C. Smith University basketball and Coach Banks for the soon to be success to be had. Go Golden Bulls!"
