Butler hires alum Ronald Nored as men's basketball coach after Thad Matta's retirement

Published Mar. 25, 2026 12:52 p.m. ET

Associated Press

Ronald Nored will be returning to Butler as the head coach of the men’s basketball program, vice president and director of athletics Grant Leiendecker announced Wednesday.

Nored succeeds coach Thad Matta, who announced his retirement last week after leading Butler for the past four seasons, all of which the Bulldogs finished with losing records in Big East conference play. Matta will stay on board at the school as special assistant to the president and athletic director.

Nored graduated from Butler in 2012, helping the Bulldogs to back-to-back NCAA national championship games as the team’s starting point guard under coach Brad Stevens. He leads the program in games played (143) and postseason games played (16).

Nored brings experience coaching in various capacities for several NBA franchises, including the Hawks, Pacers, Hornets and Celtics. He was also the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets’ G-League team, the Long Island Nets, from 2016-18.

He most recently served as a Hawks assistant coach over the past three seasons.

“The term ‘dream job’ doesn’t do justice to how I feel about the opportunity to lead the Butler program,” Nored said in a statement. “Butler is an incredibly special place. As a player, I poured blood, sweat and tears into this program. No one appreciates both the responsibility and the potential that comes with this position more than me.”

Leiendecker describes Nored as “the absolute best leader to spearhead the future of Butler basketball.”

The Bulldogs finished the 2025-26 season with a 16-16 record following a 91-81 loss to Providence in the Big East Tournament on March 11.

“There is incredible momentum at Butler right now," Nored said, "and I can’t wait to hit the ground running as we elevate Butler to new heights.”

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