Atlanta, Ga. - Georgia State University head basketball Coach Michael Perry has signed a new contract for three more seasons at Georgia State, athletic director Greg Manning announced on Thursday.
Perry, a six-year veteran at Georgia State, took over Jan. 3 when "Lefty" Driesell announced his retirement mid-season. Perry finished the season 10-9 and advanced the shorthanded team to the semifinal round of the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament.
"We know that Michael Perry is the right person to continue to grow the basketball program at Georgia State," Manning noted. "He knows what it takes to win on the court and what it takes to help the young men earn their college degrees off the court. He has recruited most of these players who have put Georgia State on the basketball map and he has lofty goals to continue that growth."
A former NBA draft pick as a player, Perry has been a part of the 113 wins and just 68 losses in his six-year stint at State. He also posted a 6-1 record when filling in during that time as bench coach when Driesell could not attend games do an injury or illness.
The 44-year old Perry has helped coach four NCAA Division I tournament teams and three NIT postseason tournament teams in his coaching career that began in 1985-86 at Virginia Union and included a decade on staffs at his alma mater, Richmond.
Perry was 5-1 as the bench coach in the Panthers' remarkable 29-5 2000-2001 season that saw Georgia State win the conference tournament, defeat Wisconsin in the NCAA opening round and advance to play Maryland in the Final 32. Two years ago, he helped the 20-11 Panther team win the regular season title and earn an NIT postseason trip. As an assistant coach, his memorable NCAA wins included the GSU win over Wisconsin as a No. 11 seed, a Richmond win over Syracuse as a No. 15 seed and a Richmond win over Indiana as a No. 13 seed.
The 6-foot, 5-inch Perry was a star at Richmond where he scored a then school-record 2,145 points and never missed a game (108 consecutive). An All-Conference pick and an All-America honorable mention selectee, Perry was a 1981 NBA draft pick of the Kings. He had been an All-State player at Thomas Jefferson High in Richmond and a top 100 high school recruit.
Perry and his wife, Darlene, have three children.