When TCU men’s basketball head coach Jamie Dixon took over a year ago, recruiting promised to be a challenge.
He inherited a Big 12 Conference program, but with a record that didn’t attract top talent.

Dixon and his staff developed a two-pronged recruiting strategy: focus on Texas, especially the metroplex, and look outside the box, said assistant head coach David Patrick.

In this case, instead of trying to compete nationally, the Horned Frogs went global.

Patrick is from Australia and that was the first stop. He played professionally for the Canberra Cannons of the National Basketball League from 1999-01 and was named Rookie of the Year in 2000. He’s coached at Saint Mary’s in Moraga, California and LSU.

Some of his college recruits have gone on to play in the NBA – most recently his godson Ben Simmons who played under him at LSU. Simmons was the No.1 overall draft pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2016 NBA draft.

The Simmons connection attracted redshirt freshman forward Kouat Noi.

“I look up to Ben Simmons a lot,” he said. “I used to remember when we used to play NBA 2K growing up when we were 11 years old and for me to follow the same path he’s following and for DP to be a mentor for me as well, I feel like I’m heading in the right direction now.”

New Zealand is also part of the game plan. Big man Angus McWilliam, a 6’11” center from New Zealand who graduates in the spring, has committed.

Dixon played professional basketball in New Zealand for the Hawke’s Bay Hawks from 1989-1990. While at Pittsburgh, he recruited Steven Adams – now the starting center for the Oklahoma City Thunder – from New Zealand.Read More