Who exactly is Alvin Brooks III? According to reports, Mark Pope has enlisted the services of the Baylor assistant to serve as the associate head coach at Kentucky.
He competed at Midland College, a Texas junior college, for two seasons from 1998 to 2000 before transferring to Idaho State, where he played for three seasons, averaging 5.4 points and shooting 38.1% from the field during that period.
Despite being influenced by Drew’s coaching philosophy, Brooks also hails from a family deeply ingrained in coaching; his father, Alvin Brooks II, boasts a lengthy tenure as a college basketball coach. The father-son duo even faced off during the 2021 NCAA Tournament Final Four when Baylor clashed with Houston, with Alvin Brooks II serving as one of Kelvin Sampson’s assistants. Presently, the elder Brooks holds the head coaching position at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.
As previously reported by Ryan Black, the Kentucky basketball beat reporter for the “Louisville Courier Journal,” Alvin Brooks III has a prior connection to the Wildcats program through his father’s role as former Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie’s director of basketball operations from 2007-09.
Brooks III’s coaching journey is deeply rooted in the South, with significant recruiting contributions throughout. He began his coaching career at Arkansas-Fort Smith, where he aided in securing the NJCAA Division I championship in 2006. Subsequently, he served as an assistant at his alma mater under Grant McCasland for one season, contributing to Midland College’s NJCAA Division I championship in 2007.
After stints at mid-major programs Bradley and Sam Houston, the now 44-year-old coach secured his first Power 5 coaching position with former Kansas State coach Bruce Weber in 2012. During his tenure in Manhattan, Kansas, Brooks III played a role in the Wildcats clinching their first Big 12 regular-season title in 2013 and making two NCAA Tournament appearances.
At Baylor, Brooks III played a pivotal role in Drew’s transformation of the Bears into a powerhouse program. He was part of the coaching staff when Baylor claimed its maiden national title in 2021.
Moreover, Brooks III brings robust recruiting expertise to Kentucky and Pope’s staff. According to his Baylor profile, he played a key role in assembling Baylor’s highly-ranked recruiting class in 2021, which included Kendall Brown, Langston Love, and Jeremy Sochan. Additionally, he was the primary recruiter for securing commitments from Keyonte George and Ja’Kobe Walter, both top-five nationally ranked recruits in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Most recently, Brooks III played a crucial role in securing VJ Edgecombe, the fourth-ranked prospect in 247Sports’ composite 2024 recruiting class, over Duke. Edgecombe is reportedly set to honor his commitment to Baylor despite speculation of reopening his recruitment.
