2026-27 Men's Basketball
Meet the Men's Basketball coaching staff and explore each coach’s current role and biography.
Head Men's Basketball Coach
Chris Jans, one of the nation's premier bench bosses, gears up for his fifth season as head coach of the Mississippi State men’s basketball program in 2026-27. During his first three seasons, Jans guided the Bulldogs back to college basketball’s biggest stage fueled by three NCAA Tournament appearances in 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Full official bio
Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
George Brooks starts his 17th season as an assistant coach with the Mississippi State basketball program in 2026-27 after a successful 13-year stint at the junior college ranks where he guided his Meridian Community College program to numerous titles. Brooks, the SEC’s longest tenured assistant coach and the second-longest tenured active NCAA assistant coach at the major conference level, is in the midst of his second decade of…
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Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
David Anwar enters his fifth season as an assistant coach at Mississippi State and his 10th season overall on Chris Jans’ staff in 2026-27. Anwar has been an integral part of 198 victories, an average of 22.
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Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
Corey Barker has reunited with Coach Jans and heads into his first season as an assistant coach with the Mississippi State men’s basketball program in 2026-27. Previously, Barker worked with Coach Jans at Bowling Green in 2014-15 and at New Mexico State during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.
Full official bio
Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
Shunn Buchanan has rejoined the Mississippi State men’s basketball program as an assistant coach in 2026-27. He served as a graduate assistant during Coach Jans’ first two seasons with the Bulldogs.
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Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
Alex Barlow embarks on his first season as an assistant coach with the Mississippi State basketball program in 2026-27. Prior to State, Barlow spent eight seasons working inside the Boston Celtics organization and three seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Butler, on Thad Matta’s staff.
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Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
Dillon Elder starts his third season as an assistant coach and his fifth season on Chris Jans' coaching staff at Mississippi State in 2026-27. Elder has been part of a State program that dialed up back-to-back-to-back NCAA Tournament trips fueled by a trio of 21-win campaigns from 2022-23 to 2024-25.
Full official bio
