MANHATTAN, Kan. – Veteran coach Bill Peterson, who has experience at virtually every level of college and professional basketball coaching, has been named an assistant men’s basketball coach at Kansas State in an announcement by head coach Jerome Tang on Tuesday afternoon (April 29).
Peterson, who started his new job on Tuesday, previously coached alongside Tang while at Baylor from 2017-22 where they helped guide the Bears to the 2021 NCAA Championship.
“I am fired up to have Coach Bill Peterson as a part of our staff,” said Tang. “He brings a wealth of experience in both college and the NBA. Every coach, player, and person associated with K-State Basketball will be better because of the addition of Coach Bill Peterson.”
Peterson has a combined 10 years of head coaching experience at the NAIA, Division II and G-League levels in his 47-year coaching career while he has been an assistant coach at Louisiana Tech (1980-83), McNeese State (1987-94), Bosier Parish Community College (1997-99), Colorado State (2000-07) and Denver (2024-25) to go with significant experience in a support staff role at Baylor (2017-24).
Peterson has also served in various capacities in the NBA, including as special assistant with the Golden State Warriors (1989), player development/scout with the Dallas Mavericks (1998-2000) and assistant coach/player development with the Milwaukee Bucks (2007-13). He has G-League experience with the Texas Legends (2014) and Erie BayHawks (2014-17).
Peterson has mentored over 20 NBA players, including Hall of Famers Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash and Karl Malone as well as 13-year pro Jason Smith and current Charlotte Hornet Seth Curry.
“I am extremely excited to be joining Coach Tang’s staff at Kansas State,” said Peterson. “I have known Jerome Tang for the past eight years and have great respect and admiration for him and his family. The opportunity to work with him and his staff is a real blessing. The opportunity to work at a storied basketball program like K-State with a rich tradition of excellence is a real honor.
“I am excited to again be competing in the Big 12 as it is recognized as one of the premier basketball leagues in the country. I will pour my heart and soul into the players, coaching and staff to get 1% better every day.”
Tang became familiar with Peterson during their 5-year stint on staff at Baylor (2017-22), where they helped the Bears to a 120-42 (.741) overall record, including a 61-26 (.701) mark in Big 12 play, to go with the 2021 NCAA Championship, two Big 12 regular-season titles (2021, 2022) and three NCAA Tournament appearances (2019, 2021, 2022).
Peterson was Baylor’s director of men’s basketball operations from 2017-19 before spending the next five seasons (2019-24) as the special assistant to head coach Scott Drew. Overall, he was a part of 167 wins with the Bears to go with five NCAA Tournament appearances (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024).
Prior to joining the staff at Baylor, Peterson spent 10 seasons (2007-17) in the professional ranks with the Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks and Orlando Magic. He was an assistant and player development coach with the Bucks under head coaches Larry Krystkowiak, Scott Skiles and Jim Boylan from 2007-13 before spending time with the Mavericks’ G-League franchise, the Texas Legends in 2014. He was the head coach of the Erie BayHawks, the G-League affiliate of the Orlando Magic, from 2014-17 and was instrumental in the NBA call-ups of Seth Curry, Austin Daye, Keith Appling and Anthony Brown. He led the Orlando Magic Blue Team to the 2016 NBA Summer League Championship.
Peterson’s pro experience also includes a stint as a player development coach and scout with the Mavericks from 1998-2000 and as a special assistant with the Warriors in the summer of 1989.
Peterson served as associate head coach at Colorado State for seven seasons (2000-07) under the direction of head coach Dale Layer. He was a part of 103 wins while in Fort Collins, including the Rams’ first NCAA Tournament bid in 13 seasons after winning the Mountain West Conference Tournament in 2003.
Peterson had the first of two stints as a small college head coach from 1983-87 at NAIA Union College in Barbourville, Ky., where he led the Bulldogs to 73 wins. He posted four consecutive winning seasons, including the school’s most wins (22) in 16 seasons in 1984-85 while producing the school’s first-ever NBA Draft pick in James Anderson (Portland Trail Blazers) in 1985.
Peterson was the head coach at Division II Alabama-Huntsville from 1994-97, guiding the Chargers to their first winning season in 10 years in 1994-95 after inheriting a squad that won just one game the previous season.
In between his head coaching stints with Union College and UAH, Peterson spent seven seasons (1987-94) on head coach Steve Welch’s staff at McNeese State. He was a part of 75 wins with the Cowboys, including a Southland Conference Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament bid in 1989.
Peterson spent the 2024-25 season with the University of Denver under head coach Jeff Wulburn.
Peterson began his coaching career as a student assistant at St. Petersburg (Fla.) Junior College before 3 seasons (1980-83) as a graduate assistant for head coach Andy Russo at Louisiana Tech, where he was part of a coaching staff that developed All-American and Hall of Famer Karl Malone.
Peterson earned his bachelor’s degree in Leisure and Recreation from Eckerd (Fla.) College in 1980 before obtaining a Master’s in Physical Education and Human Relations from Louisiana Tech in 1982.
Peterson and his wife, Diane, are the parents of three daughters: Kati, Ginny and Hailey (who went to be with The Lord in 2000).
Coaching Experience
Student Assistant, St. Petersburg Junior College, 1978-79
Graduate Assistant Coach, Louisiana Tech, 1980-83
Head Coach, Athletes in Action Russian/European Tour, 1985-86
Head Coach, Union College (Ky.), 1983-87
Special Assistant, Golden State Warriors, Summer 1989
Assistant Coach, McNeese State, 1987-94
Head Coach, Alabama-Huntsville, 1994-97
Assistant Head Coach, Bosier Parish Community College, 1997-99
Player Development Coach/Scout, Dallas Mavericks, 1998-2000
Associate Head Coach, Colorado State, 2000-07
Assistant Coach/Player Development, Milwaukee Bucks, 2007-13
Assistant Coach/Player Development, Texas Legends (NBA G-League), 2014
Head Coach, Erie BayHawks (NBA G-League), 2014-17
Director of Men’s Basketball Operations, Baylor, 2017-19
Special Assistant to the Head Coach, Baylor, 2019-24
Assistant Coach, Denver, 2024-25
Assistant Coach, Kansas State, 2025-present
Education
Bachelor’s Degree in Leisure and Recreation, Eckerd College, 1980
Master’s in Physical Education and Human Relations, Louisiana Tech, 1982
Personal
Wife: Diane