Mark Byington isn’t ready to hand out a final grade on Vanderbilt’s basketball staff just yet, and he’s not pretending the picture is fully clear in Nashville.
With only three returning players and three new assistants in the mix, Byington says this summer is about building the base before anyone starts talking too boldly about what the Commodores can become. The roster has some proven pieces at the top and the biggest frontline he’s had so far, but there’s still plenty that needs to settle.
“There’s so many things that have gotta get into place,” Byington told Vandy on SI. “That’s a big portion of what we’re working on this summer.”
That same patience applies to the new faces on his bench. Byington brought in Rodney Terry, Joel Justus and Chad Myers, and he’s leaning on familiarity with all three as much as their resumes. He believes each one fits where Vanderbilt is right now, and he’s convinced they’re aligned with the bigger goal: pushing the program to places it has never been.
Byington made clear in a 34-minute interview that he does not want Vanderbilt drifting into comfort after a 27-win season that ended one shot short of the NCAA Tournament’s second weekend. He won’t publicly declare a Final Four chase, but he also isn’t backing away from the idea that it should be on the table.
When he spoke with Terry, who joined the staff in the spring after Kenneth Mangrum left for Georgia Tech, Byington used a baseball image to explain where he thinks the program stands. He told Terry Vanderbilt was rounding second base and heading toward home plate.
Byington has known Terry since the years after he left UNC Wilmington, and he wanted to be sure Terry still had the same edge. From Byington’s view, the answer came back loud and clear.
Terry’s path gives him a useful perspective for this job. Two seasons ago, he took Texas to the NCAA Tournament before being replaced by Sean Miller.
Since then, he spent a year on the SEC Network calling games - including a few Vanderbilt contests - while also scouting for the New Orleans Pelicans. But he was eager to get back on a bench, and Byington was just as eager to bring him in.
“Rodney Terry is a steal for us, truthfully,” Byington said. “He knows the league, has been successful in the league. He's recruited at an extremely high level with one-and-done players to professional players.”
Justus brings a different kind of value, and Byington sees plenty of it. The two have a long connection through UNC Wilmington, and Byington first tried to get him on staff when he took the Vanderbilt job in 2024. That didn’t happen then because Justus had already committed to Jake Diebler at Ohio State, but the relationship stayed intact.
Now Justus is in place, and Byington expects him to help in several ways. He praised Justus as “elite” on the recruiting trail and said he can also serve as a trusted voice on offense.
Byington has handled most of the playcalling over his first two seasons, but he said he may give up some of that work, including some playcalling duties, to Justus. He also expects Justus to take on some of the broader, GM-type responsibilities that Jon Cremins previously handled.
“I think he’s got a tremendous basketball mind,” Byington said. “I just have a trust level.
He knows modern-day basketball. He understands how all this works.”
Myers adds another layer to the staff’s makeup. Byington hired the former Link Academy head coach as director of recruiting, and while he said the role is not exactly that of a general manager, he believes Myers can raise the level of talent Vanderbilt brings in. The results have already shown up around the program: Vanderbilt was heavily involved with Myers’ former player Davion Thompson, a five-star guard, and has since landed five-star recruit Gabe Nesmith after Myers arrived.
Byington coached Myers when Myers played at Hargrave Military Academy, and he has watched him build deep ties in the recruiting world ever since. That background is exactly why Byington wanted him involved.
“Chad's another person who really understands the dynamics of modern recruiting and how it works,” Byington said. “He’s extremely tight with agents, he's been in grassroots, he knows every side of the recruiting process.
He also understands development. And so his main two things are going to be recruiting and development of our players.”
Byington stopped short of calling this his best staff yet, but he did make one thing plain: it is his most experienced group since he arrived at Vanderbilt, and it carries the most recognizable names he’s had so far.
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Vanderbilt Commit Gabe Nesmith Is Giving Fans Something To Debate
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The debate, of course, comes from the rough edges that still show up in the scoring numbers. Nesmith has flashed his playmaking, including a big passing stretch during the event, but the shot has not always followed, leaving evaluators to weigh the long-term upside against the current inconsistency. Vanderbilt clearly believes the foundation is there, especially with his physical tools and defensive potential, but the next steps in his development will be worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]