INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A new head coach for Butler basketball is in town, and it’s former Bulldog guard Ronald Nored. Nored played for the Bulldogs from 2008-2012, and made back-to-back NCAA national championship games in 2010 and 2011. “It’s unimaginable,” Nored said. “Not to say I never wanted to come back and coach here but just didn’t really think it was possible. To be able to be here today, to see the fans, this is a really special day.” After playing at Butler, Nored built an extensive NBA coaching career before returning to his alma mater as the next Butler head coach. Nored was an assistant coach for the Indiana Pacers from 2021-2023 working under head coach Rick Carlisle. In Nored’s introductory press conference, Carlisle was in attendance, as well as Pacers superstar Tyrese Haliburton, TJ McConnell, and current assistant coach Lloyd Piece. Nored began his NBA coaching career as a G-League assistant coach for the Maine Red Claws in the Celtics organization in 2013. In 2014, Nored worked as an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics. In 2015, Nored went back to the college level to be an assistant coach at Northern Kentucky in 2015. From 2016-2018, Nored was the head coach for the Long Island Nets, the G-League affiliate for the Brooklyn Nets. From 2018-2021, Nored was an assistant coach with the Charlotte Hornets. Most recently, Nored was an assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks from 2023-2026. “But the most important recipe, to me, to have success in that league [NBA] is to get outside of yourself, connect with the players, so then you can get the most out of them,” Nored said. “I’m excited to bring all those experiences right here at Butler University.” Nored gave his introductory press conference on the court at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Friday. He made it clear he wants to build a winning culture at Butler once again. “We want guys here who are first of all, humble,” Nored shared. “They’re always striving to get better, they’re never a finished product. Secondly, we want guys here who are tough, mentally and physically, to be able to be the best that they can be. We want guys here that are competitive, they’re willing to give everything they have to win every single possession.” Nored wants to share the lessons he learned under Stevens with today’s players who will wear the Butler uniform. “The biggest lesson I learned from my time here at Butler playing for Brad, playing for the coaches, was the importance of humility,” Nored said. “That it’s just not about you. We won here with our teams, because we all bought in to that fact.” Nored was a two-time Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year, and wants defense to be a cornerstone for his future teams. “We’re going to play a great style of basketball, that’s going to be characterized first by tough, physical defenses that have been the bedrock of great Butler teams,” Nored said. Nored takes over a Butler program that has not made the NCAA Tournament since 2018. ...read more read less