BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The University of Southern California's Men's Basketball Assistant Coach, Todd Lee, has been hired to lead the California State University, Bakersfield's Men's Basketball program as Head Coach.
Lee is being introduced at CSUB on Friday during a press conference, watch live below:
The university announced Todd’s hiring following what officials described as a tumultuous year for the program, which saw significant leadership changes and uncertainty.
Todd previously served as an assistant coach during the Roadrunners’ national championship run in 1997 and said returning to Bakersfield fulfills a longtime goal.
“It feels great,” Todd said. “I love the City of Bakersfield. I love CSUB. It’s always been my dream job.”
Lee brings decades of collegiate coaching experience from numerous basketball programs, including Southwestern CC, University of San Diego, CSUB, UC Irvine, Kentucky Wesleyan, South Dakota, Arkansas and his latest coaching position at USC. University leaders said Todd’s experience and ties to the program made him a strong choice to guide the team forward.
“What we’re all looking for is stability and integrity, and he’s going to bring that to our campus and our community,” said Vernon B. Harper Jr..
Todd said his immediate focus is on rebuilding the program from within, starting with current players. He said he has already begun meeting with members of the team following a challenging season.
“It’s hard on young people to have that change,” Todd said. “I just want to meet with them, talk to them, and make sure they understand what our program is about.”
He emphasized that recruiting and player retention will be key priorities moving forward.
“The big thing is recruiting, but we’ve also got to retain our players and keep them in the program,” Todd said.
Todd also stressed the importance of reconnecting the program with the broader Bakersfield community.
“We’ve got to get our community back involved — not just financially, but coming out to games, meeting our players, and being part of the program,” he said.
The coaching hire comes as the university continues to address broader changes within its athletics department. Several positions remain open, including head coaching roles for swim and dive and women’s soccer, as well as a search for a permanent athletic director.
“We’re going to start the search for a permanent athletic director, and we’re going to continue to bring stability with every coach we bring to the university,” Harper said.
Todd said his approach centers on building relationships and fostering a strong team culture.
“I’m not about me — I’m about them,” he said. “I want to make sure they understand what our program is about.”
He added that he is already working to assemble his coaching staff and has received significant interest in assistant coaching positions.
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