SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – Seton Hall men’s basketball head coach Bobby Gonzalez announced Thursday the hiring of Dennis Kazimir as Director of Basketball Operations and Rodrick Rhodes as Administrative Assistant to complete his 2008-09 staff.

A 2000 graduate of Seton Hall University, Kazimir returns to the Pirates after spending two seasons as an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator at Tiffin University where he assisted in game preparation, team travel and academic monitoring among several other responsibilities.  His coaching experience also includes stints on the staffs at Wright State University and Rhode Island College. 

“Coach Kaz has been a part of the Seton Hall family for a long time,” Gonzalez said.  “He’s a Seton Hall graduate and has been working my camps for the last three years.  He has a great background in the state of New Jersey, working with the Hoop Group and running AAU tournaments across the country.  Kaz has worked many camps around the state and has great relationships with several coaches in the tri-state area.  He’s a hard working, aggressive guy who will do a great job in replacing Steve Sauers.”

Kazimir also has an extensive background with The Hoop Group where he was a director of AAU team tournaments.  At The Hoop Group, he created and assembled presentations and sponsorship agreements, implemented the planning, promotion, budgeting and operation of several tournaments and arranged media representation.  Kazimir, who has internship experience with the New Jersey Nets, received a bachelor’s degree from Seton Hall’s sports management program.

Rhodes enjoyed a five-year NBA career with the Houston Rockets, Vancouver Grizzlies and Dallas Mavericks from 1997-2002, and also played professionally overseas in Greece, Cyprus, the Philippines, France and Puerto Rico, before embarking on a coaching career.  The former first round draft pick comes to Seton Hall after serving one year as the assistant to the head coach/director of player personnel coach at the University of Massachusetts.

“We’re extremely fortunate to get a guy of Rodrick Rhodes’ caliber,” Gonzalez said.  “He brings instant credibility with our players in coming back to New Jersey.  Rodrick has had an unbelievable basketball career as an outstanding high school player at St. Anthony’s and then excelling in college at USC before having a successful NBA career.  He’s back home where he can be a tremendous addition for us in the State of New Jersey, but will also be a great role model for all of our players who aspire to get their degree and someday play professionally.  I just think Rodrick Rhodes is a quality individual who is a grand slam hire for us.”

Prior to UMass, Rhodes served as an assistant coach at Idaho State University and St. Edward’s University.  For three years at the end of his NBA career, Rhodes managed the Roderick Rhodes Basketball Camp which served underprivileged youth.  Rhodes’ camps focused on core team basketball strategies and techniques, but also motivation and community programs.  A former Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year, he received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California.

Kazimir fills the position of director of basketball operations left vacant after Stephen Sauers took an assistant coach position with Iona University in August.  Rhodes replaces Elvis Valcarcel who left to take an administrative position with the Phoenix Suns.