New Radford men’s basketball coach Nichols ‘excited’ to be home
RADFORD, Va. (BVM) — Growing up in Radford, Virginia, Darris Nichols was all about Radford University basketball. He would watch his dad play pickup games at one of the school’s outdoor courts, idolize Radford players and sneak into games with his brother just to catch a glimpse of the team playing in real time.
On Wednesday, Nichols was introduced as the eighth head coach in Radford men’s basketball history as his coaching career brought him back home.
“I don’t think I need to sneak in here anymore,” Nichols said with a laugh during his introductory press conference in the Dedmon Center.
Nichols was candid when asked if a return to Radford had ever crossed his mind.
“Have I had my eyes on it? Yes, I have, I’m not going to lie,” Nichols said. “This has always been a job I could see myself at because it’s home and the people in this community.”
It has been a long journey back to his hometown.
Nichols became a local legend for his skills on the basketball court during his time at Radford High School where he would lead the team to three Group A final four appearances. During his senior year, Nichols would be named the Roanoke Times All-Timesland Player of the Year and after an intense recruiting process, he would commit to play Division I basketball at West Virginia University.
Nichols would become a standout performer for the Mountaineers during his time in Morgantown. He scored 993 career points and dished 399 assists, while shooting at a .375 clip from 3-point range over his four years with West Virginia. In his career, Nichols would play on Mountaineers teams that would advance to two Sweet 16’s, an Elite Eight and an NIT Championship, making him one of the top five most winningest players in the program’s history. As a senior, Nichols averaged 10.7 points as well as 3.2 assists as he helped lead the Mountaineers to the Sweet 16 in 2008.
“I understand what they’re going through,” Nichols said of his new team. “I’ve been through coaching changes as a player. I’ve been through one as a coach having to come in behind a hall of fame guy in Billy Donovan. We stepped into that situation and they were like, ‘Who are these guys?’ so I understand they’re probably saying the same thing about me. … For me, I just think all the different experiences and coaches I’ve worked for I can blend it and make it my own identity.”
Following his career with West Virginia, Nichols would play briefly in Hungary before injuries ended his playing career. Though his playing days were over earlier than he hoped or expected, Nichols knew his next step.
“The plan for me was to get into coaching,” Nichols said. “I’ve always wanted to make an impact on kids’ lives and I did that through basketball. I think if you combine that, you have coaching.”
In his first coaching stop, Nichols joined the men’s basketball staff at Northern Kentucky where he worked with the Norse as they transitioned from Division II to Division I. In his first year at Northern Kentucky, the team went 23-7 before finishing his second season with an 11-16 mark and 9-9 in the A-Sun Conference behind a defensive unit, coached by Nichols, that finished ranked second in the conference.
After his time with the Norse, Nichols joined the staff at Wofford for a year where he helped the team to a 20-win season, a Southern Conference Tournament championship and an NCAA tournament appearance as the Terriers finished with a 20-13 record, including going 11-5 in the Southern Conference. Following his one year at Wofford, Nichols was an assistant at Louisiana Tech where the team won the 2015 Conference USA championship with guard Kenneth Smith garnering C-USA Player of the Year and AP All-American honors.
Those two one-year stints were followed by a six year stay in Gainesville for Nichols who joined the Florida Gators staff. While there, Nichols quickly became one of the hottest names in coaching as he earned a spot in ESPN.com’s 40 Under 40 in the summer of 2020, where he was ranked No. 17 on the national list that included both head coaches and assistant coaches. In addition, he was also rated the No. 2 assistant coach in the Southeastern Conference in a Stadium poll of coaches around the league.
All of that to lead Nichols back where it all began, Radford. Now as the head coach of the team he once admired as he was growing up, Nichols is ready to get to work on his hometown team.
“It’s special to be able to come back and especially see my parents. It’s an early Mother’s Day present to get back and come back home and be with my family,” Nichols said. “Home has been where the basketball bounces for the longest period of time. This one is different. Regardless of where the ball bounces or not, this is home. I’m just excited to be here.”
