Solomon Bozeman
Bozeman with Arkansas–Pine Bluff in 2023
Arkansas–Pine Bluff Golden Lions
PositionHead coach
LeagueSouthwestern Athletic Conference
Personal information
Born (1987-12-18) December 18, 1987 (age 36)
Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight174 lb (79 kg)
Career information
High school
College
NBA draft2011: undrafted
Playing career2011–2014
PositionPoint guard
Coaching career2014–present
Career history
As player:
2011–2012Austin Toros
2012KK Feni Industries
2012Kalev/Cramo
2012Hapoel Yokneam/Megido
2012–2013Texas Legends
2013Kryvbas
2014Al Sadd Doha
As coach:
2014–2016Abilene Christian (assistant)
2016–2018Little Rock (assistant)
2018–2021Oral Roberts (assistant)
2021–presentArkansas–Pine Bluff
Career highlights and awards

Solomon Bozeman (born December 18, 1987) is an American former professional basketball player and current head coach for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. He played college basketball for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

High school career

Bozeman, son of a college coach, starred at Oxford High School in Oxford, Mississippi for three years as his father served as an assistant at Ole Miss. In 2005, his father was named the head coach at Southern Arkansas University and Solomon played his senior season at Magnolia High School in Magnolia, Arkansas. In his senior season, he averaged 28.5 points per game and led the school to the Arkansas state championship game.[1]

College career

Out of high school, Bozeman signed with South Florida. As a freshman in the 2006–07 season, he averaged 9.6 points and 3.5 assists in 30.6 minutes per game. In his sophomore season, Bozeman saw a coaching change and also saw his minutes per game drop. At the conclusion of the season, he decided to transfer to Arkansas–Little Rock (UALR).[2][3]

At UALR, Bozeman was a two-year starter. As a senior in 2010–11, Bozeman averaged 16.6 points per game and led the Trojans to their first NCAA tournament bid in 21 years. UALR defeated North Texas in the Sun Belt Conference tournament championship. Bozeman scored 20 points in the final, including the game-winner, and was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament.[4] For the regular season, he was named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and an honorable mention All-American by the Associated Press.[5]

Professional career

After his college career, Bozeman was not selected in the 2011 NBA draft, but he was taken in the fifth round of the 2011 NBA Development League Draft by the Austin Toros. He started his professional career in Austin, averaging 8 points per game in 12 contests. He spent the rest of the season moving between teams in the Republic of Macedonia, Estonia and Israel. Bozeman returned to the D-League's Texas Legends. He averaged 8.4 points per game for the 2012–13 season.[6]

For the 2013–14 season, Bozeman signed with Kryvbas of the Ukrainian SuperLeague.[7] In January 2014, he was waived by Kryvbas.[8]

Coaching career

In June 2014, Bozeman was hired as an assistant coach at Abilene Christian under former Little Rock assistant coach Joe Golding.[9]

On April 19, 2016, Bozeman returned to Little Rock as an assistant coach under new head coach Wes Flanigan.[10]

Bozeman was named head coach of Arkansas–Pine Bluff on June 11, 2021.[11]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Arkansas–Pine Bluff Golden Lions (Southwestern Athletic Conference) (2021–present)
2021–22 Arkansas–Pine Bluff 7–24 5–13 11th
2022–23 Arkansas–Pine Bluff 10–21 6–12 T–9th
2023–24 Arkansas–Pine Bluff 13–18 8–10 T–8th
Arkansas–Pine Bluff: 30–63 (.323) 19–35 (.352)
Total: 30–63 (.323)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

  1. ^ "Solomon Bozeman USF profile". South Florida Bulls. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  2. ^ "USF guard Bozeman to transfer". Tampa Bay Times. March 18, 2008. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  3. ^ "Jon Teitel's "Big Dance" Interviews: UALR's Solomon Bozeman & Joe Kleine". collegehoops.net. March 9, 2011. Archived from the original on December 28, 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  4. ^ "Arkansas-Little Rock wins Sun Belt title; Oakland takes Summit crown". USA Today. March 9, 2011. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  5. ^ "UALR's Solomon Bozeman Named All-America Honorable Mention By The Associated Press". ArkansasBusiness.com. March 29, 2011. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  6. ^ "Solomon Bozeman basketball-reference". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  7. ^ "Where are they now?: Solomon Bozeman". UALR.edu. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  8. ^ "Kryvbas waive Solomon Bozeman". Sportando.com. January 5, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
  9. ^ "Wildcats add assistant coach; hand out promotions to two others". acusports.com. June 20, 2014. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  10. ^ "Arkansas-Little Rock names Solomon Bozeman assistant coach". USA Today. Associated Press. April 20, 2016. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  11. ^ "Arkansas Native Solomon Bozeman Named Men's Basketball Head Coach". Arkansas–Pine Bluff Golden Lions. June 11, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2021.

External links

Men's basketball head coaches of the Southwestern Athletic Conference
Arkansas Pine–Bluff Golden Lions men's basketball head coaches
Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year
Categories