Orlando Johnson joins Washington State Basketball Staff as General Manager and Assistant Coach

Former NBA player and college standout Orlando Johnson joined the Washington State men’s basketball staff as the Cougar’s general manager and assistant coach, WSU Head Coach David Riley announced Friday.
 
Johnson lands in Pullman after a 12-year professional career spanning around the globe, including the NBA, European leagues, Australia, and Asian leagues. Taking on responsibilities in team management and player development, Johnson’s arrival at WSU marks his coaching debut.
 
“I’m incredibly excited to be here and be part of this team and staff,” Johnson said. “It’s a true honor to step in as General Manger, and I’m grateful for the opportunity. Reuniting with Dave, a childhood friend and teammate, makes this experience even more special to start a new beginning here at Wazzu. I look forward to contributing to our roster decisions and supporting the continued development of our student-athletes here on and off the court.”
 
Johnson and Coach Riley grew up playing in the same California youth basketball scene, competing together as teammates at West Valley Basketball Club before Johnson attended Loyola Marymount and UC Santa Barbara from 2007 to 2012.
 
“Orlando is a great addition to our staff and the culture we are building at WSU,” Coach Riley said of Johnson. “We’ve been friends since we played AAU together growing up. Orlando brings invaluable experience from the professional level and global basketball scene to our player development and Cougar program.”
 
A Seaside, California native, Johnson graduated from UCSB as a three-time All-Big West First Team selection, a three-time Mid-Major All-American, and the Gauchos recordholder in career scoring, single-season points, and single-game points.
 
Johnson went on to be drafted in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, before being traded to the Indiana Pacers where he spent two seasons. The shooting guard bounced between the Pacers and assignments in the NBA Development League before moving overseas in 2014 to the Spanish league and played another 10 years across the globe, including returning to the U.S., the Philippines, China, Russia, Lebanon, Bosnia, Taiwan, Australia, and Mongolia.