Michigan State basketball: Tum Tum Nairn quickly rising in coaching ranks

Former Michigan State basketball point guard Tum Tum Nairn is quickly soaring up the coaching ranks with Bowling Green.

If you were hoping that Michigan State basketball would hire Tum Tum Nairn to fill that vacant assistant coaching position, avert your eyes.

On Wednesday, the former Michigan State point guard and grad assistant was promoted within the Bowling Green program. He went from assistant coach to associate head coach under Todd Simon. He thanked his boss for the promotion on Twitter.

If you knew where I came from, you’d understand why I’m so grateful to be where I’m at. I don’t always do things right and I’m extremely far from perfect.. I count this an act of the Lord’s kindness. Thank you to my boss for this promotion and his unwavering belief in me! #CNC 🧡 pic.twitter.com/8dOBDYhjJd

— Lourawls Thomas Nairn Jr (@CoachTum11) May 23, 2024

This move shouldn’t come as much of a surprise because Nairn just has an infectious personality that exudes leadership. When he was hired as a grad assistant in 2019, it felt like he was going to stick around for a while, but he immediately got a head coaching job with Sunrise Christian Academy, his alma mater. The next year, he accepted an assistant coaching job with Southern Utah and then followed Simon to Bowling Green. He has quickly gone from player to grad assistant to assistant to associate head coach in the span of five years. Incredible stuff.

Spartan fans are going to have to wait a little longer to see Nairn back in East Lansing because it looks like he’ll be at Bowling Green for the foreseeable future. The next move is being hired somewhere as a head coach and I wouldn’t be shocked to see that happen within the next couple of years.

You don’t just move up the coaching ranks this quickly by accident, these Division 1 head coaches have believed in Nairn. Tom Izzo gave him a shot after his playing days were over and the transition was seamless. He has bounced around, but he’s landing in a better position each time. It’s been fun to watch his coaching career grow.

Maybe one day he’ll be roaming the sidelines as Izzo’s replacement.