With the pride band playing the school fight song in the background, Missouri State University president Clif Smart and director of athletics Kyle Moats introduced Dana Ford as the Bears 18th men’s basketball coach in program history Thursday morning.
“We are getting a young, ambitious, up-and-coming and highly respected man to lead our men’s basketball program,” Moats said. “Everyone I talked to was enthusiastic about Coach Ford.”
Moats said he spoke with Illinois State coach Dan Muller, Texas coach Shaka Smart, ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla, Ole Miss coach Kermit Davis and NBA player Robert Covington before completing the hire of Ford.