Former Harlem Globetrotter Ty Randolph was hired April 28 to be the new Bradwell Institute boys’ basketball coach. Randolph has spent the last 20 years coaching High School basketball at Groves High, Dougherty County, and Lanier County High in Lakeland, where the Bulldogs went 80-29 during his tenure. 

The Columbia, S.C. native played at Virginia Intermont, a private four-year liberal arts college in Bristol which closed in 2014. After college he spent two years with the Globetrotters. He spent a few more years playing professional basketball but said he decided to follow his true passion of teach, training and coaching.

During his years as a trainer, Randolph said he got to train former NBA player Kwamee Brown and WNBA player Tamika Catchings.

“My specialty is shaping and molding players,” he said.

Randolph said he is familiar with the Tigers basketball program.

“I got to play against Bradwell several times,” Randolph said. “They’ve always had great players and team support.”

Randolph said he has ties to Hinesville and is good friends with South Georgia Kings founder and coach Jessie Fleming. He said he and Fleming always talked about coaching at BI, noting that if a spot ever opened at the school he would jump at the opportunity.

Trying to build camaraderie with players and their families during a shelter-in-place pandemic has been difficult, but the new Tiger coach said he did the best he could.

“I’m big on relationships and I’ve already started to reach out to players and their families and introduce myself…normally I would do a home visit and let parents know who I am and also listen to their expectations,” he said. 

Randolph said the key to developing players begins with the fundamentals.

“There is no need to reinvent the wheel,” he said. “You condition, run drills and help to elevate the players’ basketball IQ.”

The newly hired coach said once the kids come back to the gym, they will hit the ground running and focus on fundamentals and defense.

“I’m a defensive guy…we need to play defense and if the kid can play defense, we got a spot for you,” he said. “Of course, I know offense and we will play offense, but we are going to hang our head nightly on the defensive side of the game.”

Randolph said he is currently putting together a coaching staff so they can prepare for the work ahead.

“I’m sure these kids are hungry and I’m hungry...they weren’t very successful last year,” Randolph said. “And that happens in high school basketball, but I know they are hungry to be successful. A Lot of times in basketball kids just play off talent, and we certainly won’t take away from their God given talents…but we will be working and building on the fundamentals.”

Randolph said the Tigers are going to win games and championships and have a successful program under his guidance, but it’s about more than that.

“My biggest goal is to shape these young men for the next step,” he said. “Whether it is playing at the college level and develop them for the future whether it’s for the military a career or trade.”