Why Can Ronald Nored Succeed as New Butler Bulldogs Head Coach?

From being the coach on the floor, to now coaching the Butler Bulldogs, Ronald Nored looks to continue building off Thad Matta's momentum.

NCAA Men's Final Four - VCU v Butler — Source: Andy Lyons / Getty

Why Can Ronald Nored Succeed as New Butler Bulldogs Head Coach?

On Wednesday morning, the Butler announced that Ronald Nored will the next head coach of the Bulldogs.

Nored played at Butler from 2008-2012 and was one of the key role players in the Bulldogs back-to-back National Championship runs during the Brad Stevens era. He started 125 of the 143 games he played in, recorded 835 points, 497 assists (3rd most in program history), 390 rebounds, and 207 steals (tied with Thomas Jackson for most in program history).

Immediately after graduating from Butler, Nored became the head coach at Brownsburg High School from 2012-2013 and then took an assistant coaching position with the Maine Red Claws (Boston Celtics G League Affiliate). He’d have stops at Northern Kentucky (2015-2016), Long Island Nets (2016-2018), Charlotte Hornets (2018-2021), Indiana Pacers (2021-2023), and the Atlanta Hawks (2023-2026).

His former Bulldog teammate, Matt Howard, thinks it’s his “great personality” and his ability to be a “positive leader” that will result in success at Butler. “He’s someone that you are naturally drawn to, and you want to be around,” Howard stated on Query & Company Wednesday afternoon.

One of the most interesting parts of his conversation with Jake Query was when Matt Howard talked about the challenges of building a program. “It’s incredibly difficult to build a program,” he says. “The teams that I was on, the team’s right before us that built us up to the point of being able to compete for a national championship… you know, you’re able to do that because you’re able to keep your best players.” Matt also emphasizes the importance of having a good staff and learning from your mistakes.

Jake and Matt also touch on some of the more lighthearted moments from Matt’s playing days, like the time he set a screen for Gordon Hayward that became a legendary moment in college basketball history. “It was almost robotic,” Matt says with a chuckle. “We had practiced that exact type of play a few times and actually run it earlier in the year to help us win a game late.”

To listen to Jake Query’s and conversation with Matt Howard, download the podcast containing the conversations below! You can always listen to the Query & Company from 12pm-3pm on 93.5/107.5 The Fan. You can also watch and interact with the show by going to the 107.5 The Fan YouTube Channel.