Former Bradley Braves star returns as part of the basketball staff

PEORIA — The Bradley Braves have promoted two members of their coaching staff and brought back a beloved former player in a new front office role.

Former guard Darrell Brown Jr. has joined the defending Missouri Valley Conference regular-season champions as their new director of player development. Coaching staff specialists Mike Black and Pat Althoff have new, bigger roles heading into 2023-24.

Brown was a centerpiece for head coach Brian Wardle's program rebuild from 2016-20, earning all-Missouri Valley Conference honors in 2017-18 (third-team), 2018-19 (second team) and 2019-20 (second team).

The 5-foot-10 guard finished his career with 1,860 points, fifth all-time in school history. His career totals included 225 made 3-pointers (BU fourth all-time), 491 assists (fifth all-time) and 483 made free throws (sixth all-time).

Brown is the only player in BU history to lead the team in scoring and assists in all four seasons on the hilltop.

After his final season at BU in 2020, Brown went on to play internationally, in Georgia, and locally here in The Basketball Tournament.

More: Bradley basketball will head west for a tournament in November 2023

Moving up on the staff

Mike Black has been elevated to assistant coach on Brian Wardle's coaching staff for the 2023-24 season, which will be his third year with the program.

Black, in his first two seasons, served as video coordinator of player development and director of basketball operations.

Black played at Albany from 2009-13, where he earned America East Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors in 2013 and led the Great Danes to an NCAA Tournament appearance.

Black spent time in the NBA Developmental League with Rio Grande and played internationally in the British Basketball League and the National Bulgaria League.

Pat Althoff has been named special assistant to the head coach.

The Howard College import served as video coordinator of player development in his first season with Bradley last year.

Prior to his time with the Hawks, Althoff, a Bloomington native, spent two years as a graduate assistant video coordinator at Jacksonville University from 2019-21.

Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Bradley Braves basketball finds new roles for former player, 2 coaches