BOISE, Idaho – Former LSU guard Randy Livingston of New Orleans completed the first ever trip from NBA Development League player to assistant coach to head coach when he was named last week the new head coach of the Idaho Stampede.
Livingston played for two injury-filled years at LSU after a prep All-American career at Newman High School.
Despite those injuries, the potential of a healthy Livingston was enough to earn a second-round draft selection by the Houston Rockets in 1996 and he would play in 64 games as an NBA rookie.
Over the course of 11 seasons, Livingston spent time on the rosters of the Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Seattle Sonics, New Orleans Hornets, Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz. Several of those started as 10-day contract pickups that would lead to Livingston being picked up for the team roster for the remainder of the season.
Livingston also played in Turkey and had several stints in the Continental Basketball Association and the NBA Development League.
He was named the D-League’s MVP in 2007 with the Idaho Stampede, one year before announcing his retirement from playing after the 2007-08 season as he led the Stampede to the league championship finishing his career as the team’s all-time leader in points scored (2,428), assists (1,517) and games played (163). His number 32 was retired by the Stampede.
He served as an assistant coach for Idaho in 2008-09 before moving to Portland, Maine to be an assistant coach for the Red Claws last season before returning to Boise to become the team’s eighth head coach in its 13-year history.
Livingston was the first scholarship recipient named through a partnership between the NBA D-League and the University of Phoenix where he will graduate with his bachelor’s degree in Business Communications.