Former Clemson Star, McNeese Assistant says ‘Clemson is a Special Place’ Vernon Hamilton works as an assistant coach on Will Wade’s staff
“I could not wrap my mind around it,” Hamilton told The Clemson Insider Wednesday at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. “Coach (Will) Wade and I talked about it the night before. ‘How crazy would it be if we happen to play Clemson?’
“To have it unfold that way. It’s amazing.”
Hamilton was a four-year starter for Clemson (2004-07) and ended his career No. 1 all-time in steals average at the school with 271 steals. That was sixth in career steals in ACC history at the time. He is No. 9 in assists at Clemson with 403 and scored over 1,200 points to finish in the top 25 in school history.
Wade, of course, was a former manager and player development coach under coaches Larry Shyatt and Oliver Purnell at Clemson. He graduated from Clemson in 2005.
Hamilton played for Purnell, which is when he first met Wade. He was Wade’s Director of Player Development at LSU and did the same thing at Georgetown for a short stint before returning to Wade’s staff at McNeese State as an assistant coach.
“We have been able to stay in touch and then were able to find ourselves on our way back to getting into coaching,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton says he owes his coaching career to Clemson head coach Brad Brownell, who hired him as a graduate assistant coach in 2014-2015.
“It is amazing, looking back on it, Coach Brownell actually gave me my start in coaching,” Hamilton said. “He made me a graduate assistant under him and I am forever grateful for that.”
The former Clemson star says he learned a lot about coaching and basketball during his time on Brownell’s staff.
“He works every day. There are no days off,” Hamilton said he learned from Brownell. “When you get in that gym, you are going to work and you’re going to get better. That is what Coach does.
“He has great stats on what he is able to do defensively. He gives teams a lot of problems and forces you into tough shots. It is just his work ethic. Everything I learned in coaching, I learned from him.”
As for being a huge Clemson football fan like Wade is, Hamilton says he is one, too.
“I am huge fan. Justin Miller was one of my closest friends when I was at Clemson and when I was playing there,” Hamilton said. “He, obviously, went on to the Pro Bowl in the NFL and had a pretty good career, as far as returning punts and special teams.
“Obviously, he was an elite corner. So I love (Clemson Football). Anytime I have an opportunity to watch a game…I mean just look at the quarterbacks that have gone through there. Tajh Boyd and then you follow that up all the way through with guys like Deshaun Watson, Trevor Lawrence. You just see those pool of quarterbacks come through. Clemson is a special place and you can tell that they have it rolling.”
