If Rich East doesn’t lead the Southland in 3-point baskets this season, it won’t be because the Rockets don’t have a good instructor.
Nobody on the college court or the NBA could shoot the ball from the arc as well as new boys basketball coach Craig Hodges did in his heyday.
One of Rich East’s most famous alums is more concerned, though, about long-distance life success than baskets.
“I’m looking forward to teaching basketball players how to be student-athletes,” Hodges said. “I want them to understand how to play basketball the right way, and put themselves in a position where they can be successful.
“Hopefully we can produce some Division I athletes.”
Hodges was approved Thursday by the Rich Township District 227 school board. He replaced George Leonard, who resigned after nine seasons.
“It’s a big moment for Rich East,” Rich East athletic director Mike Laneve said. “My vision for this was started seven years ago when I met Craig and we immediately made a connection.
“I told him then, ‘One day I’m going to get you back here to work with our kids.’ We laughed about it, but when this opportunity came available, I ran it by him and he didn’t shut me down.”
Hodges, 56, is a 1978 Rich East graduate who played three years. He then played at Long Beach State. In 1982, he was drafted in the third round by the San Diego Clippers and went on to play in the NBA for 10 seasons.
Hodges played for the Bulls from 1988-92 and was a member of back-to-back NBA title teams in 1991 and ’92. He was a career 40 percent 3-point shooter and was the NBA 3-point Shootout champion three consecutive seasons from 1990-92.
On the coaching side, he was an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Westchester Knicks of the NBA Development League. He also was the head coach at Chicago State for three seasons.
He coached at Rich East as a volunteer assistant when his sons Jibril and Jamaal played there. But permanent coaching offers at his alma mater, he said, weren’t forthcoming.
“It wasn’t the same situation with the athletic director at that time as it is now,” Hodges said. “Mike (Laneve) has been very inviting for the alumni to come back and participate in the program.”
In June, Hodges and his sons worked at the Rich East summer basketball camp. It wasn’t long after that he accepted the offer to become the head coach.
“Being at the camp definitely affected my decision,” Hodges said. “What we found was a group of young men who want to learn. Watching my sons help me with the coaching and giving back their portion, it gave me the idea that this is something that I want to nurture and see how far we can take it.
“For me, I feel perfectly at home. I don’t get it twisted that it’s 1978, and I don’t get too hung up on my jersey being on the wall. I appreciate it, but at the same time this is about translating life experience and basketball experience to these youngsters to get them to realize what their potential is today.”
Twitter @tbaranek
