Shayne Whittington returns to WMU men’s basketball team as assistant coach

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Western Michigan University and head coach of the men’s basketball team Dwayne Stephens have announced the hiring of WMU graduate and former Indiana Pacer Shayne Whittington as assistant coach.

“Shayne is a great addition to our team,” said Coach Stephens. “From his playing days to coaching, Shayne has incredible experience and knows what it takes to win at the highest level. He will be a great mentor to our current student-athletes and help further strengthen our relationships with alumni, the community and donors. We are excited to bring Shayne home!”

Whittington played for the Broncos from 2009-2014, amassing 1,119 points and 737 rebounds. His 130 blocks are third all-time at Western Michigan and his 27 double-doubles are sixth most in program history. Whittington is a native of Paw Paw, Michigan, and received his Bachelor of Science degree from WMU in 2014.

A two-time All-MAC honoree at WMU, Whittington was selected to the first team as a senior in 2013-14 as he helped the Broncos to a 23-10 mark, the third-most wins in program history, and a conference record of 14-4 to win the program’s sixth MAC regular season title. In the MAC Tournament Championship Game, Whittington scored 20 points and added 13 rebounds as Western Michigan defeated Toledo to win its second MAC Tournament title in program history and secure its fourth NCAA Tournament berth.

After his career at Western Michigan, Whittington signed with the Indiana Pacers of the NBA. In the 2014-15 season, he became the sixth former Bronco to appear in an NBA game, making his debut on November 8 against the Washington Wizards. He played in 27 games for the Pacers during the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons, then continued his professional career overseas in Spain, Russia and Japan.

Whittington began his coaching career last season, returning as a team assistant to the Pacers, a franchise that recorded its first win and made its first playoff appearance since the 2019-20 season. During the season, Indiana reached the final of the inaugural NBA Cup and then made it to the Eastern Conference Finals in the playoffs.