Brandon Laird (basketball)

Brandon Laird
Current position
TitleAssociate Head Coach
TeamIdaho
ConferenceBig Sky
Playing career
1997–2001UC Davis
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2001–2002El Camino Fundamental HS (asst.)
2002–2003UC Davis (asst.)
2003–2006Menlo (asst.)
2006–2009Menlo
2009–2011UC Davis (asst.)
2011–2021Sacramento State (asst.)
2021–2022Sacramento State (interim HC)
2023–presentIdaho (assoc. HC)
Head coaching record
Overall52–59 (.468)

Brandon Laird (born 1970s) is an American men's basketball coach, currently the associate head coach at Idaho. He was previously the interim head coach of Sacramento State.

Laird attended El Camino Fundamental High School. He walked on to the basketball team at UC Davis in 1997 and played sparingly as a freshman. Laird helped the team win the 1998 NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament and earn two conference titles. During his junior season, he emerged as a three-point shooting threat.[1]

Laird began his coaching career in 2001 as an assistant at El Camino Fundamental High School. In 2002, he was hired as an assistant coach at UC Davis.[2] Laird joined the coaching staff at NAIA team Menlo College as an assistant in 2003. He was promoted to head coach in 2006. Laird posted a 41–41 record and helped the team win the California Pacific Conference Tournament and earn a berth in the NAIA Div. II Championships during the 2007–08 season In July 2009, he rejoined the staff at UC Davis.[3] Laird was hired as an assistant at Sacramento State in 2011. He was promoted to associate head coach the following season. Laird helped the 2014–15 team finish with a record of 21–12 and reach the postseason for the first time in the Division 1 era.[2]

Sacramento State head coach Brian Katz retired just prior to the start of the 2021–22 season due to a health issue. Laird became the interim coach.[4] He took over with full support from the team, and guard Zach Chappell praised him as "a great leader".[5]

  1. ^ Parker, Clifton (February 3, 2000). "Getting the point". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved January 7, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b "BRANDON LAIRD NAMED AMONG THE TOP 50 MID-MAJOR ASSISTANT COACHES IN THE NATION". Sacramento State Hornets. May 18, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  3. ^ "LAIRD LEAVES OAKS FOR ASSISTANT ROLE AT UC DAVIS". Menlo Oaks. July 21, 2009. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  4. ^ Latimore, Jordan (November 5, 2021). "Sac State men's basketball coach Brian Katz retires days prior to season opener". The State Hornet. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  5. ^ Pallares, Lindsey; Fabian, Jose (December 20, 2021). "Sac State Hornets find their footing after coach Katz's 'shocking' retirement". Fox 40. Retrieved January 7, 2022.