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Change You "Ken" Believe In: McDonald Assumes New Role With Toros

Updated: Wednesday, November 14 2012, 10:42 PM CST
At 42 years old, Ken McDonald is going back to school. And he's doing it by not going back to school.

"This is a great learning process for me, and different in a lot of levels," said McDonald.

After 18 years as a college coach, including four seasons on Rick Barnes' staff at Texas, McDonald is now an assistant with the Austin Toros - the Development league affiliate of the San Antonio Spurs. It's his first job in pro basketball.

"He wants to expand his coaching resume and try a new challenge," said Taylor Jenkins, Austin Toros head coach.

"I've got a lot of learning and growing to do in this position," said McDonald. "I'm anxious to do that."
   
McDonald was without a gig after being fired as the head coach at Western Kentucky in January, just 16 games into his fourth season. Despite a winning percentage of .578 and taking a $100,000 pay cut prior to the season, McDonald was bounced faster than a crossover dribble.

"I had a lot of fun, you know, and obviously had a lot of times that were tough," said McDonald. "I think both made me better."

Western Kentucky Athletic Director Ross Bjork slammed McDonald's organizational skills in an ESPN.com article. Bjork also said the program had reached a point of no confidence.

"As a young head coach and as any head coach i think you look back and say 'there's a million things I'd do either differently or adjust in some way," said McDonald.

Like the Toros players he now coaches, McDonald will try to impress NBA executives in hopes of getting a call to the league.

"They don't call up losers, they call up winners," said Toros point guard Justin Dentmon. "So we just all gotta be winners."

But until that graduation day comes, McDonald will be putting in a bunch of credit hours - without going back to school.Change You "Ken" Believe In: McDonald Assumes New Role With Toros