Chico Potts

Chico Potts
Biographical details
Born	February 28, 1976 (age 48); Indianola, Mississippi, U.S.
Playing career
1995–1997	Lon Morris
1997–1998	LSU
1999–2000	Delta State
Position(s)	Forward
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2001–2002	Delta State (grad. asst.)
2002–2003	Greenville Weston HS (asst.)
2003–2006	Tupelo HS (asst.)
2006–2008	Delta State (asst.)
2008–2012	Mississippi Valley State (asst.)
2012–2014	Mississippi Valley State
2014–2022	Gentry HS
2022–present	Horn Lake HS
Head coaching record
Overall	14–46 (.233) (college)

Alfrico V. "Chico" Potts (born February 28, 1976) is an American basketball coach who is currently head boys' basketball coach at Horn Lake HS. From 2012 to 2014, he was men's basketball head coach for Mississippi Valley State University.^[1] He played college basketball at Lon Morris College, LSU, and Delta State and has been a high school and college basketball coach since 2001.

Early life and education

Alfrico V. Potts grew up in Indianola, Mississippi, graduating from Gentry High School in 1995.^[2]^[3] Although he initially signed with Liberty University out of high school, Potts began his college basketball career at Lon Morris College, a junior college in Jacksonville, Texas.^[2]^[4] At Lon Morris, Potts averaged 11.1 points and 7.4 rebounds.^[5]

In 1997, Potts transferred to Louisiana State University.^[5] A 6-foot-6, 225-pound forward on the LSU Tigers in 1997–98, Potts played in 26 games with one start, averaging 2.9 points and 2.2 rebounds under head coach John Brady.^[6]^[7] After redshirting in 1998–99, Potts transferred to Delta State University, playing his final season of college basketball there in 1999–2000 and graduating from Delta State with a bachelor's degree in physical education.^[2]^[4]

Coaching career

Early coaching career (2001–2008)

While pursuing his master's degree at Delta State, Potts was a graduate assistant for Delta State in 2001–02 and completed his degree in 2002. Potts then was junior varsity boys' head coach and assistant varsity boys' head coach at Greenville Weston High School in 2002–03, then had the same jobs at Tupelo High School from 2003 to 2006. From 2006 to 2008, Potts was assistant coach at Delta State.^[4]

Mississippi Valley State assistant and head coach (2008–2014)

Potts then coached for eight years at Mississippi Valley State, starting as an assistant coach from 2008 to 2012 under head coach Sean Woods.^[4] In the 2011–12 season, Mississippi Valley State had a 17-game win streak that was second longest in NCAA Division I, won the Southwestern Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championships, and qualified for the NCAA Tournament.^[4]

After Woods resigned to become head coach at Morehead State, Mississippi Valley State promoted Potts to head coach on June 18, 2012.^[8]

On July 12, 2013, Mississippi Valley State suspended Potts after he was arrested for domestic violence.^[9] Prosecutors dropped the charges five days later, and Mississippi Valley State reinstated Potts on July 23.^[10]

Potts had a 14–46 record in two seasons as Mississippi Valley State head coach.^[11] Following the 2013–14 season, Mississippi Valley State reassigned Potts to a different job in the athletics department in March 2014 before firing him.^[12]

High school coach (2014–present)

In 2014, Potts returned to Gentry High School as varsity boys' basketball head coach. In eight seasons, Potts had winning records every season, including a 30–4 season in 2017–18.^[13]

Beginning in 2022, Potts became head coach at Horn Lake High School.^[14]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
Season	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing
Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils (Southwestern Athletic Conference) (2012–2014)
2012–13	Mississippi Valley State	5–23	5–13	9th
2013–14	Mississippi Valley State	9–23	5–13	9th
Mississippi Valley State:		14–46 (.233)	10–26 (.278)
Total:		14–46 (.233)
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

^ Minichino, Adam (July 13, 2016). "Potts says no to CHS coaching gig". The Commercial Dispatch. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
^ ^a ^b ^c Davis, Bryan (November 19, 2021). "Chico Potts to be inducted into DSU athletics HOF". The Enterprise-Tocsin. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ "Budget request for fiscal year ending June 30, 2012" (PDF). Mississippi Legislative Budget Office. p. 90. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Chico Potts". Mississippi Valley State University. Archived from the original on April 20, 2014. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ ^a ^b "1997-98 season outlook". Louisiana State University. Archived from the original on April 21, 1998. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ "Chico Potts". Sports Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ "1997-98 LSU Men's Basketball Roster". Louisiana State University. Archived from the original on April 21, 1998. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ Mister, Kenneth (June 18, 2012). "Potts named head men's basketball coach". Mississippi Valley State University. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ Katz, Andy (July 12, 2013). "Chico Potts suspended after arrest". ESPN. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ Eisenberg, Jeff (July 23, 2013). "Mississippi Valley State reinstates suspended coach Chico Potts". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ "Chico Potts: Coaches Index". Sports Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ Borzello, Jeff (September 3, 2014). "Hirings and firings: 2014 college basketball coaching changes". CBS Sports. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ "Gentry Basketball History". Maxpreps. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ Bakken, Bob (April 14, 2022). "Potts named new Eagles basketball coach". DeSoto County News. Retrieved January 28, 2025.

[1] Minichino, Adam (July 13, 2016). "Potts says no to CHS coaching gig". The Commercial Dispatch. Retrieved January 10, 2025.

[to_be_inducted-2] Davis, Bryan (November 19, 2021). "Chico Potts to be inducted into DSU athletics HOF". The Enterprise-Tocsin. Retrieved January 28, 2025.

[3] "Budget request for fiscal year ending June 30, 2012" (PDF). Mississippi Legislative Budget Office. p. 90. Retrieved January 28, 2025.

[MVSU-4] "Chico Potts". Mississippi Valley State University. Archived from the original on April 20, 2014. Retrieved January 28, 2025.

[LSU_outlook-5] "1997-98 season outlook". Louisiana State University. Archived from the original on April 21, 1998. Retrieved January 28, 2025.

[6] "Chico Potts". Sports Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2025.

[7] "1997-98 LSU Men's Basketball Roster". Louisiana State University. Archived from the original on April 21, 1998. Retrieved January 28, 2025.

[8] Mister, Kenneth (June 18, 2012). "Potts named head men's basketball coach". Mississippi Valley State University. Retrieved January 28, 2025.

[9] Katz, Andy (July 12, 2013). "Chico Potts suspended after arrest". ESPN. Retrieved January 28, 2025.

[10] Eisenberg, Jeff (July 23, 2013). "Mississippi Valley State reinstates suspended coach Chico Potts". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved January 28, 2025.

[11] "Chico Potts: Coaches Index". Sports Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2025.

[12] Borzello, Jeff (September 3, 2014). "Hirings and firings: 2014 college basketball coaching changes". CBS Sports. Retrieved January 28, 2025.

[13] "Gentry Basketball History". Maxpreps. Retrieved January 28, 2025.

[14] Bakken, Bob (April 14, 2022). "Potts named new Eagles basketball coach". DeSoto County News. Retrieved January 28, 2025.

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