Kenneth White has been named Head Basketball Coach at McCallie, Head of School Lee Burns announced Monday.
White, a one-time student at McCallie, has forged a successful coaching career in both the college and high school ranks.
“Kenneth White is a slam dunk hire for McCallie,” Burns said. “He’s competed at the highest national levels as a high school and college basketball player. He’s been coached by legends. He’s coached at the college level and won a state championship as a high school coach.
More impressive, though, is Kenneth White the man. He embodies McCallie ideals, is relational and inspirational, and has an intense drive to compete and win.”
White left McCallie in high school to attend Oak Hill Academy and play for its prestigious basketball program (ranked #2 nationally at the time) and legendary coach Steve Smith. He then played for the University of North Carolina.
"I am honored to be the next basketball coach at The McCallie School,” White said. “Having played here years ago and now having the opportunity to lead the program is a full circle moment for me. I learned so many life lessons while on this campus that I still use today.”
This past season, White was the head coach at Boyd Buchanan and led the Buccaneers to a 24-9 record and a second-place finish in the TSSAA Division II-A East Region.
A Chattanooga native, he returned to his hometown in 2022 and served as an assistant coach on Head Coach Dan Earl’s Chattanooga men’s basketball staff. In 2023, the Mocs advanced to the Southern Conference Tournament Championship game.
“I have known Kenneth White since his days at McCallie and have watched his career with admiration and pride,” McCallie Athletic Director Kenny Sholl said. “As our conversations began to unfold, we realized that, because of his knowledge and passion for the game of basketball, coupled with his character and faith, we are very fortunate that he will lead the basketball program at McCallie School.”
Prior to returning to Chattanooga, he served as an assistant coach at Campbell University in Buies Creek, N.C. In his four years on the Fighting Camels staff, he helped lead the program to a Big South Conference Championship in 2019 and the first NIT Tournament in the school’s history.
Before joining the collegiate ranks, White led the boys basketball program at Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis from 2009 to 2015. At Lausanne, he guided the Lynx to the school’s first State Championship in 2013 and district titles in 2012 and 2013.
Under his tutelage, Cameron Payne was a Tennessee Mr. Basketball winner in 2013. He was an NBA Lottery Pick in 2015 after excelling at Murray State University and is currently playing for the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers.
White’s coaching career began in 2001 at Chattanooga’s Tyner Academy where he worked as associate head coach for four seasons.
He attended McCallie beginning as a seventh grader in 1991 and continued through his sophomore year. In 1995, he transferred to Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., and played for the Warriors. While at Oak Hill, the Warriors achieved a ranking of No. 2 in the nation.
“The school has an outstanding reputation and I truly believe it is one of the premier institutions in the country,” he said. “I look forward to the challenge of building a championship level basketball program on and off the court."
White is a 2001 graduate of the University of North Carolina with a degree in Psychology. A member of the Tar Heels squad, he played for Head Coach Bill Guthridge and was on the 2000 North Carolina Final Four team. His teammates included such notables as Jason Capel, Ed Cota, Ronald Curry, Joseph Forte and Brendan Haywood,
He and his wife Erika are the parents of two sons, Garrison and Keegan.