Dennis Gates hires longtime college head coach Dickey Nutt as Mizzou basketball assistant

Dennis Gates' second assistant coach brings with him a wealth of experience.

Dickey Nutt, head coach and associate athletic director at Gaston College in North Carolina, has been hired onto the Missouri men's basketball coaching staff.

Nutt comes to Missouri with nearly two decades spent as a Division I head coach. He has 19 years of combined experience as head coach at Arkansas State and Southeast Missouri State.

“I feel so fortunate and honored to be a part of Coach Gates’ staff here at the University of Missouri,” Nutt wrote in a statement. “I’ve seen firsthand his work ethic, his love for young people, game preparation and his masterful recruiting ability.

"I am excited to be reunited with him and eager to go to work in building a championship program — on and off the court.”

Gates and Nutt have worked together before. Nutt was the video coordinator for Florida State from 2015 to 2018 when Gates was an assistant there, as well as a special assistant to Gates at Cleveland State from 2019 to 2021.

As head coach at Arkansas State from 1995 to 2008, Nutt led the Red Wolves to the 1999 NCAA Tournament, earned the 1998 Sun Belt coach of the year honor and amassed 189 wins during his tenure.

Nutt resigned in February 2008 three wins shy of the program's all-time win record.

In 2009, Nutt was hired as head coach of Southeast Missouri State. He was fired in 2015 after five seasons.

Nutt has an overall record of 279-304 as a Division I head coach. He had an 18-10 record in his only season at Gaston College.

In joining the Missouri staff, Nutt brings knowledge of both the Arkansas and Missouri recruiting areas and familiarity to Gates' head-coaching style.

Coaching runs in Nutt's family. His brother Houston was the head football coach at Arkansas, Ole Miss and Boise State, while his brother Dennis was the head coach of Texas State men's basketball.

Gates' coaching staff now includes associate head coach Charlton Young and Nutt as Missouri's 2022-2023 roster and staff continues to come together.

The addition of Nutt to the staff comes two days after Gates landed a commitment from Northern Iowa transfer Noah Carter.

“David 'Dickey' Nutt is a true veteran in this profession with an immense amount of passion for the game as well as for student-athlete development,” Gates wrote in a statement. “We are lucky to have someone with his level of experience on our staff. Coach Nutt has a wealth of basketball knowledge and recruiting relationships in our state, which will be a tremendous asset to our program."

Chris Kwiecinski is the sports editor for the Columbia Daily Tribune, overseeing University of Missouri and Boone County sports coverage. Follow him on Twitter @OchoK_ and contact him at CKwiecinsk@gannett.com or 573-815-1857.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Dennis Gates hires Dickey Nutt as Mizzou assistant