Brad Stevens offers high praise for Butler hiring Ronald Nored

The Butler Bulldogs have turned to a former player to turn things around after coach Thad Matta retired and moved into a different role with the program this offseason.

Butler hired Ronald Nored, who played for the team from 2008-12 and has spent the last 10 years working in the NBA. He's been the head coach for the G League's Long Island Nets, and he was an assistant for the Hornets, Pacers and, most recently, Atlanta Hawks.

Nored's college coach, Brad Stevens, had high praise for the hire in a statement posted online by Butler.

"I'll never forget driving down to Birmingham, Alabama, and meeting in that small room in Homewood High School," Stevens, who is currently the Boston Celtics president of basketball operations, said. "Walking out of there, not necessarily knowing how good of a player you would be, but knowing that you were the perfect Bulldog.

"As your high school coach told me: 'there's no better leader that he's ever been around.' And it was really clear from day one, when you walked into Butler, that you had a special ability to lead and to galvanize the room. And as a result: you're one of the best leaders I ever saw on the court and certainly one of the best that I have ever been around.

"We wish you nothing but the best and you know we are here for you whenever you need it. We are so thrilled that you will write the next chapter of Butler basketball.

"Go Dawgs!"

Nored will hope to lead the program to the same highs that it reached during his playing career, which featured back-to-back trips to the national championship game.

The Bulldogs haven't reached the NCAA tournament since 2018, and they've reached the Sweet 16 only once since Stevens left for the NBA, which came in 2017. Nored is back at Butler, and he'll look to turn it into a contender in the Big East the way that it was in the Horizon League.

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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Brad Stevens praises Ronald Nored hire for Butler basketball