Weatherspoon takes helm of MCC’s Men’s Basketball
Former NBA professional, Goodwill and Pan America Games player, and coach, Clarence
Weatherspoon has been named head coach of the Men's Eagle Basketball Team at Meridian
Community College.
Weatherspoon is succeeding Coach James Green, who is retiring after serving eight years at MCC. Green, who MCC President Dr. Tom Huebner described as a legend who invested in the lives of countless students, said he was excited for the College's next chapter in basketball with Weatherspoon at the helm.
Dr. Huebner said, "If you know basketball—at any level—you know Clarence Weatherspoon. Clarence has made a significant mark on the game as a high school player at Motley High School in Columbus, a college player at the University of Southern Mississippi, a 13-year NBA professional, and a D1 and community college assistant."
"He is a perfect fit for where we want to go at Meridian Community College. His vision for MCC basketball is exciting, and I believe he will build on the important foundations established by Coach Green. The future of MCC Eagle basketball is in good hands," Dr. Huebner added.
Weatherspoon's coaching career includes serving as an assistant coach for the Jones College Bobcats for the past two years, as an assistant coach at Southern Miss from 2016 to 2022, and as a volunteer assistant coach role at Ridgeland High School.
Weatherspoon, a standout player under M.K. Turk with the USM Golden Eagles, scored 2,130 points, the second all-time in school history. As a senior, he averaged 22.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, with career averages of 18.5 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. He led the Golden Eagles to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearances in 1990 and 1991.
As a player, Weatherspoon's accolades include being the only three-time Metro Conference Player of the Year and the all-time leading rebounder in conference history. As an amateur, he represented Team USA in the Goodwill Games, earning a silver medal, and the Pan American Games, securing a bronze.
Weatherspoon was selected ninth overall in the 1992 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. He made an immediate impact, setting a rookie franchise record with 1,290 points and achieving 45 double-doubles in his second year, the seventh-most in the history of the NBA. Over his 13-year NBA career, he averaged 11.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, playing for Philadelphia, Golden State, Miami, Cleveland, New York, and Houston. He also made a memorable appearance in the 1993 Slam Dunk Contest, finishing second.
Weatherspoon looks forward to getting to work at MCC. “I want to thank President Tom Huebner, Athletic Director Sander Atkinson, and especially Coach Green for giving me this chance to become a head coach and a member of the MCC family. I say thank you to my wife Hazel, my kids, and all the coaches, family, and friends who supported me on this journey, especially Coach James Granderson, Coach M.K. Turk, and Coach Newton Mealer."
Weatherspoon is a native of Crawford and earned his degree from USM in 1993. He and his wife, Hazel, have two sons, Clay and Bryant, and a daughter, Simone.
For more information, contact Weatherspoon at Clarence.Weatherspoon@meridiancc.edu.