Brian Dutcher Adds Rod Palmer to Aztecs Basketball Coaching Squad
Palmer spent 11 years as CSU Long Beach 49ers Associate Head Coach; his reputation for recruiting and coaching was excellent.
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“This is an opportunity of a lifetime.” -Rod Palmer
Brian Dutcher continues his pattern of wise decisions for the Aztecs basketball program, with the addition of highly talented former Cal State University Long Beach 49ers Associate Head Coach Rod Palmer.
Palmer has a reputation for being both an expert West Coast recruiter and a superb coach. Since he joined the 49ers in the 2007-2008 campaign, the program has managed a 114-64 record in Big West Conference play. He has been highly instrumental in Long Beach State acquiring top talent including three conference players of the year and 14 first-team all-conference athletes, and two players who reached the NBA in Casper Ware and James Ennis.
Palmer is just the 12th San Diego State men’s basketball assistant coach since Steve Fisher and Brian Dutcher joined San Diego State in 1999-2000
Said Brian Dutcher, “I am very excited to announce the addition of Coach Palmer to our family. I have known Rod for a long time and he is an excellent coach. So frequently in our business you can get labeled as just a recruiter or just an on-floor coach. What makes Rod so special is that he can do both at a very high level.”
Palmer will be Assistant Coach. Justin Hutson held the title Associate Head Coach. As Brian Dutcher builds his program, he is believed to be changing his model to three Assistant Coaches as peers instead of a hierarchical model.
Rod Palmer had this to say: “I can’t give enough thanks to Coach Dutcher and the rest of the staff for opening up their arms and welcoming me into the family. This is an opportunity of a lifetime.”
“Coach Fisher built a remarkable program that rivals any college basketball program in the nation and Coach Dutcher has done a superb job as head coach carrying on that tradition. I am looking forward to coming in and doing whatever Coach Dutcher requires of me and working closely with the staff, in order to maintain the great success and tradition of San Diego State Basketball.”
Prior to his position in Long Beach, Palmer coached at Centennial High School in Compton where he was head coach for nine years (1998-2007). Palmer led Centennial to the 2004 CIF Division III State Championship and his 2002 squad was a state finalist.
Palmer earned his bachelor’s degree at UC Irvine in 1990, in psychology and obtained a teaching credential secondary in social science in 2004 from Cal State Dominguez Hills. He is a member of the Black Coaches Association.
Palmer attended Dominguez High School and was a two-time All-CIF guard. He earned a scholarship to UCLA where he played from 1985-87. He then transferred to UC Irvine for his final two seasons.
The Aztec Nation enthusiastically welcomes Coach Rod Palmer for the 2018-2019 season and beyond!