Houston boys basketball coach Charlie Leonard retiring after leading Mustangs to first state tournament

After leading Houston to its first state tournament, boys basketball coach Charlie Leonard confirmed Wednesday he is retiring and moving to Cincinnati to be closer to family. 

"I had been planning this for a long time," said Leonard, 66. "I wanted to have it so that when it was time I could just push the button and go. I wanted it to be very smooth for the next person."

Houston announced that former longtime NBA player and Memphis Tigers assistant Mike Miller would be replacing Leonard.

It took Leonard just three years to turn the program around. The Mustangs were 2-18 his first year in 2018. They were District 15-AAA champions and fell to James Wiseman-led Memphis East in Region 8-AAA semifinals in 2019.

This year the Mustangs finished 29-4 and earned their first boys basketball state tournament berth since the school opened in 1989, but the tournament was canceled due to COVID-19. 

Leonard, who led Christian Brothers to its only state title in 1987, said that he thought about retiring last year, but stayed one more year to help develop the Mustang core and see if they could make a run at a state title. 

"I wanted these group of six kids, the seniors that went through the first year went out the right way," Leonard said. "I was going to do it a year ago but I felt like I owed it to them to let them show what they were capable of."

Houston guard Alden Applewhite, who was district MVP and the No. 5 prospect in the state according to the 247Sports Composite, transferred to AZ Compass Prep in Arizona two weeks ago. But the Mustangs could potentially return Tennessee's No. 1 prospect Mason Miller, son of former longtime NBA player Mike Miller; all-district point guard TJ Madlock, and 6-foot-8 forward Zander Yates this season. 

"I’m leaving a group that’s probably going to be right there with this team. That part of its not an issue," Leonard said. "I just wanted to make sure the next guy gets a good baton handed down to him and I expect that person to do the same thing."

Leonard began his career at Memphis Prep in 1975 before moving to CBHS, where he spent 12 seasons. He coached CBU for seven seasons before working as an assistant at Memphis, North Texas and LSU.