Furman University Men's Basketball

Bob Richey is in his ninth season as head coach of the Furman men’s basketball team and 15th overall with the program.   A finalist for both the 2023 Hugh Durham Coach of the Year Award and Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award, Richey has helped propel the Paladins to national prominence with 10 consecutive winning seasons, including the 2023 Southern Conference regular season title, the program’s first SoCon Tournament title and NCAA Tournament berth since 1980, and its first tournament victory since 1974. In his seven seasons as head coach, the 2022-23 J. Lyles Alley Furman Coach of the Year has guided the Paladins to a 181-81 overall record and 99-42 mark in Southern Conference play while posting a .691 winning percentage, which ranks in the top 25 among all active Division I head coaches.   Under Richey’s leadership, Furman has won at least 25 games in four of the last seven seasons and at least 22 victories in seven of the last nine years. Furman’s .691 overall winning percentage and .690 SoCon winning percentage over the past eight seasons both rank among the best in the SoCon during Richey’s tenure.   Last season, Richey guided Furman to a 25-10 record, SoCon finals appearance, and an at-large bid to the NIT. Furman’s 25 wins tied for the second most in school history. Senior PJay Smith Jr. captured first team All-SoCon honors and NABC All-District honors while graduate student Nick Anderson was named third team All-SoCon.   The 2022-23 Paladins notched a school-record 28 victories, highlighted by an 88-79 triumph over Chattanooga in the SoCon Championship game and a 68-67 victory over No. 4 seed Virginia in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in Orlando, Fla. Seniors Mike Bothwell and Jalen Slawson both garnered first team All-SoCon accolades for the second straight year and were named finalists for the Lou Henson Mid-Major Player of the Year Award. Slawson earned SoCon Player of the Year honors and was selected to play in the NABC Reese’s College All-Star Game before being taken in the second round of the NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings. Bothwell inked a free agent deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers in June.   In 2021-22 Richey led the Paladins to a 22-12 overall record and second place finish in the SoCon with a 12-6 worksheet. He guided Furman to a victory over ACC foe Louisville, its first SoCon Tournament finals appearance since 2015, and a No. 82 ranking in the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) Rankings.   Slawson and Bothwell earned first team all-conference honors, while Slawson was named SoCon Defensive Player of the Year. Senior Alex Hunter finished his career as Furman’s all-time leader in three-point baskets.   Furman concluded the 2020-21 season at 16-9 overall and 10-5 in the SoCon, securing the program’s sixth consecutive winning record and sixth straight top three finish in the league standings. The Paladins, who spent the entire regular season ranked in the College Insider Mid-Major Top 25, concluded the season a league-best No. 75 in the NET Rankings, a SoCon-best No. 92 in the Pomeroy Ratings and No. 90 in the RPI.   Richey guided the Paladins to a 25-7 overall record and 15-3 Southern Conference mark in 2019-20 as the Paladins posted a school-record for victories for a second consecutive season. Furman finished the season at No. 74 in the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) Rankings and No. 81 in the Pomeroy Ratings. Jordan Lyons, a College Insider Mid-Major All-American, earned first team All-SoCon honors while Mounce and Gurley received third team all-league accolades. Lyons finished his Furman career as the winningest player in school history with 96 victories.   Under his leadership, the 2018-19 Paladins reached new heights with a school-record 25 wins, including victories over defending national champion and eighth-ranked Villanova and 2018 NCAA Final Four participant Loyola Chicago. Furman finished the season with a 25-8 overall record, 13-5 league mark and earned the school’s first trip to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) since 1991.   Rafferty, who paced the country in win shares and defensive win shares, finished the season as the only player in the SoCon to rank in the top 10 in points (17.5ppg), rebounds (9.0rpg), assists (4.3apg), steals (2.5spg), blocks (1.1bpg) and field goal percentage (61.5%). The first team All-SoCon selection also ranked among the league leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.1) and free throw percentage (76.7%).   In his first season as head coach in 2017-18, Richey guided the Paladins to a school record-tying 23-win season that included a then school-record 22 regular season victories. Under his leadership, Furman placed three players on All-Southern Conference teams and the 2018 senior class finished their careers with 76 wins, now third best in school history.   A native of Florence, S.C., Richey, who served six seasons as a member of the Paladin coaching staff before moving into the head coaching role, helped Furman to a school record-tying 23 total victories and 14 Southern Conference wins in 2017, while the program earned a share of its first Southern Conference regular season championship in 21 years and a trip the CollegeInsider.com (CIT) Postseason Tournament semifinals. The 2016-17 Paladins, who also won a school record 12 road games, notched back-to-back postseason appearances for the first time since 1974-75, and captured postseason victories in consecutive seasons for the first time in school history.   Richey, who has served as position coach for the Paladins’ guards since joining the Furman staff prior to the 2011-12 campaign, has recruited and developed back-to-back Southern Conference Players of the Year. Stephen Croone, who finished his Furman career with 1,936 points, earned consensus SoCon Player of the Year honors in 2016 before joining the NBDL’s Sioux Falls SkyForce for the 2016-17 season. Sibley followed Croone by earning 2017 SoCon Player of the Year honors, first team All-SoCon accolades, and first team NABC All-District laurels. Sibley was joined on both the All-SoCon squad and NABC All-District Team by fellow Richey recruit Kris Acox, who capped his career with 1,051 points and ranked among the SoCon’s top rebounders over two seasons.   Richey’s recruits have garnered all-conference honors in 11 consecutive seasons, including Furman recruits Croone (2014, ‘15, ‘16 All-SoCon), Acox (2017 All-SoCon), and Sibley (2017 All-SoCon). He has also helped recruit six players over the last seven seasons who have garnered SoCon All-Freshman honors, including Sibley, who won 2015 SoCon Freshman of the Year accolades.   An associate head coach for Charleston Southern during the 2010-11 campaign, Richey helped the Buccaneers achieve their highest win total in 14 years in 2011. In five seasons as an assistant at CSU, he recruited five players who went on to garner All-Big South Conference honors, highlighted by the school’s No. 2 all-time leading scorer Jamarco Warren and 2013 all-league performers Saah Nimley and Arlon Harper. Richey helped the Bucs improve their conference record in each season, culminating with a squad that ranked in the top 50 nationally by averaging 74 points per game in his final season.   During his five years at Charleston Southern, Richey recruited five of the top 11 scorers in CSU history in Warren (1,968 points, 2nd all-time), Nimley (1,866 points, 3rd all-time), Harper (1,633 points, 5th all-time), Kelvin Martin (1,483 points, 8th all-time) and Jeremy Sexton (1,253 points, 11th all-time). Two of his recruits earned Big South Freshman of the Year honors in their rookie seasons, and he placed at least one player on the Big South All-Freshman squad in four consecutive seasons.  Basketball analyst Jeff Goodman rated Richey as the No. 4 assistant coach in the Big South Conference in 2010, while Richey also ranked as the youngest coach on the list.   A graduate of Florence Christian School, Richey led his team to a 28-2 record and state championship his senior year. He was named the 3A State player of the year and currently holds seven school records at Florence Christian.   Richey graduated summa cum laude from North Greenville University in May of 2006 with a degree in business management. In April of 2007, he married the former Jessica Tingle and the couple have four children, Audrey Gabrielle, Robert McIntire “Mac”,  Jacks Berner, and Francis “Francie” Elizabeth.  

Klint Carlson joined the Furman Paladins in the summer of 2025 after three seasons with the Golden State Warriors.    A 2018 graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, Carlson became a member of the Golden State staff in August of 2022. He served as the Warriors’ video coordinator before being tabbed as player development coach prior to the 2023-24 season.    Golden State head coach Steve Kerr, who also served as head coach of the United States Olympic Team, selected Carlson as video coordinator for USA Basketball at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. He handled all video needs for the staff, prepared edits on opponents, and aided in on-court workouts. The United States, led by Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Jayson Tatum among others, captured the gold medal in Paris.   Carlson, a native of Waverly, Iowa, played four seasons at UNI under head coach Ben Jacobson, averaging 7.2 points and 4.2 rebounds in 114 career games. In his first two seasons off the bench, Carlson helped contribute to a program record 31-win season his freshman year, as well as two Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Tournament championships and NCAA Tournament appearances (2015, 2016).   A member of the 2016 MVC All-Bench and All-Tournament teams, Carlson played professionally in the Czech Republic for two seasons after graduating. Beginning his professional coaching career in November of 2020, he joined the NBA's Charlotte Hornets as a video intern before becoming the team's assistant video coordinator the following year.   

Former Paladin guard Rett Lister joined the men’s basketball staff as assistant coach/director of operations in the summer of 2024.   Lister, a native of Easley, S.C., served as a graduate assistant for the Kent State Golden Flashes during the 2023-24 campaign after completing a four-year playing career with the Paladins. He helped Kent State to a 17-17 overall record and an appearance in the Mid-American Conference championship game.   “Rett Lister bleeds Furman purple,” said Paladin head coach Bob Richey. “I couldn’t be more excited to have him back as a part of our program. Rett’s experiences at Kent State have allowed him to develop as a coach and make him ready to come back to join our staff. He will have a huge impact on our day-to-day operation and will serve as an unbelievable mentor for our players.” A walk-on at Furman, Lister ranks among Furman’s all-time winningest players with 90 victories during his four-year career in the purple and white. He played in 33 games as a Paladin, including a career-high 13 games during the 2022-23 season as he helped Furman to a Southern Conference regular season title, the school’s first SoCon Tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance since 1980, and the program’s first NCAA win since 1974 with a 68-67 upset of ACC champion Virginia.  Lister graduated from Furman in 2023 with a degree in education. His father, Chad Lister, has served as the head men’s basketball coach 

Kotie Kimble joined the Furman coaching staff as an assistant coach in the summer of 2025 after spending the previous three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Miami.   During his three seasons in Coral Gables, Fla., Kimble helped Miami to 51 victories, including a record-setting 2023 campaign as the Hurricanes posted a 29-8 (15-5 ACC) record, claimed a share of the ACC regular season title, and made their first trip to the Final Four. Miami set or tied program bests in overall, ACC, regular season (24), home (16), top-25 (seven), top-10 (three), and top-five (two) wins en route to finishing a program-high third in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll.   Under Kimble’s leadership, Isaiah Wong won ACC Player of the Year and earn NABC Third Team All-America honors, while Jordan Miller was a second team All-ACC choice and Norchad Omier garnered third team All-ACC status. Wong and Miller were both selected in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft.   Kimble joined Miami after a four-year stint at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In May 2023, Kimble was one of six select Division I men’s basketball assistant coaches who participated in the prestigious Champion Forum, hosted by the NCAA’s leadership in Indianapolis. In July 2020, Stadium’s Jeff Goodman ranked Kimble as a top-five assistant coach in Conference USA based off an anonymous poll of 20-plus coaches in the league.   A renowned recruiter, Kimble helped Charlotte sign the top class in CUSA all four of his years there. Included in that group was Jahmir Young, an All-CUSA honoree—he twice received first-team plaudits and won 2020 CUSA Freshman of the Year designation—during each of his three years with Kimble and the 49ers.   Inheriting a program that went 6-23 in 2017-18, the year before he arrived alongside head coach Ron Sanchez, Kimble helped Charlotte to a 16-13 campaign in 2019-20, good for the team’s most wins since 2013-14. The 49ers also went 10-8 in CUSA play in 2019-20 to place fourth in the league after being picked No. 12 in the preseason poll. It marked the first time the 49ers finished above .500 in conference action since going 9-7 in 2009-10 in the Atlantic 10 and the first time they won double-digit league games since an 11-5 mark in 2005-06 in A10 play.   Two years later, during the 2021-22 season, the 49ers exceeded that overall win total by going 17-14. Charlotte also again finished 10-8 in CUSA play, giving the team multiple winning league records in a three-year stretch for the first time since 2003-06. The program posted its most road wins (six) since 2011-12 and most conference road victories (four) since 2009-10, both during its A10 era. Meanwhile, Young placed third in the CUSA in scoring at 19.6 points per game, his second straight top-five finish. Prior to his four seasons at Charlotte, Kimble spent eight years, 2011-18, at the College of William & Mary, coaching a total of 17 CAA All-Academic Team honorees. From 2013-18, the Tribe had the best five-year stretch in program history, posting a combined mark of 96-62, including a 54-34 record in CAA action.   William & Mary won 17-plus games all five seasons and tallied double-digit conference triumphs each time. The Tribe won 20 games three years in a row, 2013-16, for the first time since 1949-51. In 2014-15, William & Mary won the CAA regular season title for the third time ever and first since 1998. That year, the Tribe went 20-13 (12-6 CAA), reached the NIT for the third time in program history and made the CAA Tournament title game for the second year in a row.   Over the course of those five years, William & Mary set program records for points, points per game, three-point percentage, three-pointers made, free throw percentage, assists, assists per game, assist-to-turnover ratio and fewest turnovers. It finished top-55 in KenPom offensive efficiency and top-20 in effective field-goal percentage each year, including placing top-35 in the former area twice and top-six in the latter category thrice.   During the last of those five seasons, in Kimble’s final year on staff in 2017-18, William & Mary became the first team in NCAA history to shoot 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range and 80 percent at the line in a season. The Tribe led the nation in the latter two categories, at 43.4 and 81.1 percent, respectively. Kimble helped the team to a school-record 85.0 points per game, the third-best mark in CAA history. In addition, over Kimble’s final six years in Williamsburg, Va., the Tribe was one of only two teams, alongside Gonzaga, to rank top-30 nationally in field-goal percentage each season. He helped recruit and develop three 1,000-point scorers, including the program’s all-time leading scorer, Marcus Thornton, who tallied 2,178 points and won 2014-15 CAA Player of the Year honors.   Kimble got his coaching start at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, working under Eddie Biedenbach from 2008-11. The Bulldogs won double-digit Big South games, posted a winning conference record and finished top-four in the league each season. In 2010-11, UNC Asheville went 20-14 (11-7 BSO) and won the league tournament to earn the second NCAA Tournament berth in program history. Once in the field, the Bulldogs beat Arkansas-Little Rock to earn their first NCAA Tournament victory.   Additionally, that UNC Asheville team was just the second since 1986 to win 20 games. It finished No. 11 in the nation in defensive turnover percentage, per KenPom, a 223-spot improvement from the prior year. Two Bulldogs earned All-Big South distinction and three garnered All-Big South Tournament accolades, including Matt Dickey claiming first-team status in the former and MVP recognition in the latter.   A native of Edgefield, S.C., Kimble graduated from Coastal Carolina University in 2007 with a degree in history. During his time as an undergraduate, he served as a student assistant for two years under Pete Strickland and two under the renowned Buzz Peterson.   Kimble helped the Chanticleers to a 20-10 (12-4 BSO) record in 2005-06, as the team finished second in the league and made the conference tournament championship game. Led by Jack Leasure, the Big South Player of the Year, it marked the program’s first 20-win campaign since 1992-93.   Kimble and his wife, JaNae, have one child, Kennedy Blair, born in December 2023.  

Pat Estepp joined the Furman men’s basketball staff as assistant head coach in the summer of 2024.   Estepp spent the 24 seasons at Cedarville (OH) University, including the last 16 as head coach, prior to joining the Furman staff. He posted a 292-191 record and guided the NCAA Division II Yellow Jackets to three NCCAA national titles (2012, 2019, 2024). Last season, Cedarville notched its seventh 20-win season in Estepp’s 16 years by fashioning a 23-win campaign en route to the NCCAA championship.   A 1997 graduate of Cedarville, Estepp led the Yellow Jackets to their first-ever NCAA Division II Tournament during the 2021-22 season. His Cedarville squads captured their first G-MAC Tournament title in 2013 and claimed runner-up finishes in 2021 and 2022.    Estepp, an NCAA Division II congressman on the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Board of Directors, served as head coach of the East team in the 2023 Reese’s Division II College All-Star Game. He took on his current position after serving as an assistant coach for eight years under former Cedarville head coach Ray Slagle and played a key role during Slagle's successful tenure with the Yellow Jackets from 2000 to 2008. Cedarville won 177 games during that time span, averaged 24.1 wins over the last seven seasons, won three American Mideast Conference titles, and two AMC Tournament championships. The Yellow Jackets made five trips to the NAIA Division II National Tournament where they never lost in the first round. They advanced to the semifinals once, the quarterfinals twice, and to the second round twice. Estepp also has a master’s degree in education from Cedarville University. He and his wife, Melanie, are the parents of three children.