Mike Rice is going back to his roots to rebuild his tarnished image.
The former Rutgers coach has taken a job as the director of Hoop Group Headquarters in Neptune, N.J., just seven months after he was fired amid by Rutgers a nationwide controversy, the New Jersey-based grass-roots organization’s president Rob Kennedy told The Post.
The fiery, passionate and at times volatile Rice worked with Hoop Group before launching his coaching career, serving as the instruction academy’s director from 2001-04. Kennedy said Rice will be running in-house leagues and tournaments as well as instructional workouts at the facility for Hoop Group, which prides itself on teaching basketball fundamentals and showcasing top talent from the northeast with camps, as well as AAU and high-school tournaments.
“Mike has acknowledged his mistakes and has worked hard to make positive changes,” Kennedy said in a text message to The Post. “He has more passion and love of the game than any coach I have ever been around. I’m happy that Mike is able to share that energy with our Hoop Group participants.”
Rice, a Fordham graduate, was fired in April after three seasons at Rutgers, following an abuse scandal that drew nationwide attention once video of the incidents, which included him throwing basketballs at players, shoving players and yelling homophobic slurs, was leaked. Last December, he was suspended three games without pay and fined $50,000 by athletic director Tim Pernetti for abusive behavior toward his players. But once the video was aired by ESPN months later, it touched off a nationwide outcry with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and State Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver among those demanding Rice’s removal, and eventually getting it.
A number of players transferred as part of the fallout from the scandal which such as Eli Carter (Florida), Mike Poole (Iona) and Derrick Randall (Pittsburgh). also cost Pernetti his job.
Rutgers hired former Scarlet Knights star and NBA head coach Eddie Jordan to replace Rice, who went 44-51 in three years. Rice had coached Robert Morris to the NCAA Tournament in 2009 and 2010.
Two weeks after his dismissal, Rice was spotted coaching his daughter’s seventh-grade AAU team, and had the support of the kids’ parents.
Rice had not made any public comments since the day he was fired until he did an interview with ABC’s “20/20,” but since May he has reportedly worked with basketball rehabilitation guru John Lucas, a former NBA player and coach, on his anger management issues at the John Lucas Wellness and Aftercare Program in Houston.
Rice also participated as a speaker at the Nike Skills Academy camp in Union, N.J. in June. He was spotted behind the St. John’s bench during Monday’s exhibition game against Humboldt State.