The University of Mississippi Athletics
Staff Directory
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Year at Ole Miss:
- Third
- Email:
- Phone:
- 662-915-7534
- Alma Mater:
- NC State (1998)
Al Pinkins returned to Ole Miss, this time under Chris Beard, in March 2023. He brought 20 years of coaching experience with nine years in the SEC and stops at Texas Tech, Florida, LSU, Tennessee, Ole Miss, and Middle Tennessee State University.
He has helped guide Ole Miss to back-to-back 20-win seasons in Oxford, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2025 after accumulating 24 wins. In his inaugural season with the Rebels, he was a member of the staff that picked up a 20-win season in year one, highlighted by a record start at 13-0 in non-conference play.
During the 2022-23 season, Pinkins was a member of the coaching staff at Texas Tech University for a second time in his coaching career. He was involved in all aspects of the Tech program which included opponent scouting and on-court coaching. Texas Tech had three players earn All-Big 12 honors.
Prior to his second stint in Lubbock, Pinkins was the associate head coach at the University of Florida under Mike White. He helped the Gators earn NCAA Tournament berths in 2019 and 2021. Pinkins focused on Florida’s frontcourt and helped coach all-SEC players Kerry Blackshear Jr., Colin Castleton, Keyontae Johnson, Trey Mann, Scottie Lewis and Andrew Nembhard. Pinkins also served as the interim head coach for Florida during the 2022 NIT. Pinkins secured his first win as a head coach against Rick Pitino when Florida defeated Iona in the first round of the NIT.
In his first stop at Texas Tech, Pinkins joined Beard during his first two seasons with the Red Raiders. Beard and Pinkins led Texas Tech to 18 victories in year one, before taking the program to new heights with 27 victories and the school’s first ever Elite Eight appearance at the NCAA Tournament in the 2017-18 season. Pinkins helped coach Keenan Evans and Zach Smith who garnered preseason all-Big 12 honors in 2017-18. Keenan Evans earned all-American and all-Big 12 first team honors following the season. Pinkins focused on the frontcourt players development and also helped coach Jarrett Culver and Zhaire Smith, who both became NBA first-round draft picks.
Coach Pinkins spent the 2015-16 season at LSU under Johnny Jones where Pinkins worked with future NBA players Antonio Blakeney, Tim Quaterman and the NBA’s top overall pick in the 2016 draft, Ben Simmons.
In just one season with the Tennessee Volunteers during 2014-15, under head coach Donnie Tyndall, Coach Pinkins molded an undersized frontcourt that featured three true freshmen and no players exceeding 215 pounds. They boasted a positive rebounding margin, ranked second in the SEC in rebounding defense, and fourth in offensive rebounding. There, he coached Josh Richardson who was drafted by the NBA in 2015. Pinkins also served as the Vols Interim Head Coach for a brief period after the 2014-2015 season.
At Ole Miss from 2011-2014 under Andy Kennedy, Pinkins helped the Rebels go 66-37 in his three seasons, including the 2013 SEC Tournament Championship and upset over No. 5 seed Wisconsin in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. He helped coach Marshall Henderson (then SEC-record 138 threes made in 2012-13), Reginald Buckner (Ole Miss’ all-time leading shot blocker), and Murphy Holloway (Ole Miss’ all-time leading rebounder). Holloway was an all-SEC first-team selection in 2013, and Buckner earned SEC All-Defensive Team recognition that same year, as Ole Miss tied a school record with 27 wins. In Pinkins' first season with the Rebels in 2011-12, he helped lead Ole Miss to 20 wins and an NIT bid. His work with the post players saw Terrance Henry earn all-SEC status for the first time in his career, Holloway named all-SEC honorable mention and Buckner named to the SEC All-Defensive Team.
Pinkins began his collegiate coaching career at Middle Tennessee State in 2003, where he spent eight seasons under Kermit Davis. Pinkins was intimately involved in all aspects of the Blue Raiders program, and helped lead them to a 2010 SunBelt East Division Championship.
Before taking to the sidelines as a coach, Pinkins played college basketball at Chipola Junior College and North Carolina State University.
After college Pinkins went on to play professionally in Zaragoza, Spain; Raleigh, NC; Minot, ND; Doha, Qatar and Shenyang, China.
Pinkins earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology from NC State in 1998. He and his wife, Kara, have three sons: Patton, Pryce, and Penn.
