Clay Wilson, a Princeton graduate and former top assistant at University of the Pacific, has joined the Hawai’i coaching staff. Wilson brings more than five years of coaching experience with stops in the Big 12, WCC, Ivy League and Conference USA.
Originally from Oklahoma, Wilson has been a part of numerous post-season teams as both a player and assistant coach. He enjoyed particular success during recent coaching stints at North Texas and Texas Tech. In his two seasons at North Texas, he helped the program win a record number of games in back-to-back seasons. Following a 25-win campaign in 2021-22, the Mean Green posted a 31-7 record the next season en route to both a CUSA championship and the 2023 NIT title.
Wilson went on to serve as the Director of Player Development at Texas Tech. During the 2023-24 campaign the Red Raiders rose to No. 15 nationally while notching six wins over ranked opponents in the ultra-competitive Big 12. Texas Tech ultimately gained a berth into the NCAA Tournament and finished the season with 23 overall wins.
“We’re excited to welcome Clay to our ‘ohana,” UH coach Eran Ganot said. “Clay has quickly earned a terrific reputation in the profession for his character, work ethic and mentorship. On the floor he has established himself as a well-rounded and up-and-coming coach who’s been impactful on the floor and in recruiting. He’s played for and worked with some of the elite coaches in the country and we’re thrilled to have him on board here in Hawai’i.”
Wilson’s most recent stop was at Pacific as the lead assistant. He was part of a Tigers squad that traveled to Honolulu to open the 2024-25 campaign in the OUTRIGGER Rainbow Classic.
A former student-athlete at Princeton, Wilson got his coaching start in the Ivy League, working as an assistant at Cornell from 2019-21. He helped recruit and develop numerous all-conference players, including Chris Manon, who became Cornell’s first NBA player in 15 years.
While a player at Princeton from 2011 to 2015, Wilson served as a captain and was on a pair of teams that advanced to the postseason in both 2012 and 2014. Following his collegiate career, Wilson played professionally for four years in Germany, New Zealand, Latvia and Estonia.
Wilson earned his undergraduate degree in sociology from Princeton and holds an MBA in Sport Entertainment Management from North Texas.