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Who is Billy Gillispie?
Billy Gillispie is an American college basketball coach and the current men’s basketball coach at Tarleton State University. He has a net worth of $2 million as of 2024. He has previously coached at UTEP, Texas A&M, Kentucky, and Texas Tech. He is known for his ability to turn around struggling programs and recruit top talent. He is also a Guinness World Record holder, for the most tweets sent to celebrities in 24 hours.
Early Life and Education
Billy Gillispie was born on November 7, 1959, in Abilene, Texas. He grew up in Graford, Texas, a small town of about 500 people. He was the only boy and the middle child of five siblings. His father, Clyde, was a cattle truck driver and his mother, Winifred, was a homemaker. He attended Graford High School, where he played basketball and baseball. He graduated in 1978 as the valedictorian of his class of 20 students.
Gillispie attended Ranger College, a junior college in Texas, where he played basketball and baseball for two years. He then transferred to Sam Houston State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in education in 1983. He also worked as a student assistant for the basketball team under coach Bob Derryberry, who was a friend of his father. He later received a master’s degree in education from Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University) in 1987.
Career and Net Worth of Billy Gillispie
Billy Gillispie started his coaching career in 1982, when he became an assistant coach at Texas State under Derryberry. He spent five years there, before moving to Killeen High School as an assistant coach in 1985. He then became the head coach at Copperas Cove High School in 1987, and led the team to the state playoffs in his first season. He also coached at Canyon High School and Ellison High School, before returning to the college level in 1993.
Gillispie joined South Plains College, a junior college in Texas, as an assistant coach in 1993. He helped the team win the NJCAA national championship in 1996. He then moved to Baylor University as an assistant coach under Harry Miller in 1994. He spent three years there, before joining Tulsa University as an assistant coach under Bill Self in 1997. He helped the team reach the NCAA tournament twice, including the Elite Eight in 2000.
Gillispie got his first head coaching job at UTEP in 2002, replacing Jason Rabedeaux. He inherited a team that had gone 6-24 the previous season, and led them to a 24-8 record and a NCAA tournament berth in his first season. He was named the WAC Coach of the Year and the NABC District 13 Coach of the Year. He stayed at UTEP for two seasons, compiling a 46-18 record.
Gillispie then moved to Texas A&M in 2004, replacing Melvin Watkins. He took over a program that had not reached the NCAA tournament since 1987, and had gone 7-21 the previous season. He led the Aggies to a 21-10 record and a NIT appearance in his first season, and a 22-9 record and a NCAA tournament appearance in his second season. He was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year twice, in 2005 and 2007. He also recruited several future NBA players, such as DeAndre Jordan, Acie Law, and Khris Middleton. He stayed at Texas A&M for three seasons, compiling a 70-26 record.
Gillispie then became the head coach at Kentucky in 2007, replacing Tubby Smith. He signed a seven-year, $23 million contract, making him one of the highest-paid coaches in the country. He had high expectations at Kentucky, a program with a rich history and tradition. However, he failed to meet them, as he led the Wildcats to a 18-13 record and a NIT appearance in his first season, and a 22-14 record and a NCAA tournament appearance in his second season. He also faced criticism for his coaching style, his recruiting methods, and his off-court behavior. He was fired in 2009, after two seasons, with a 40-27 record.
Gillispie then took a two-year hiatus from coaching, before returning to Texas Tech in 2011, replacing Pat Knight. He inherited a team that had gone 13-19 the previous season, and led them to an 8-23 record in his first season. He also faced allegations of mistreating his players and staff, and violating NCAA rules. He was hospitalized for high blood pressure in 2012, and resigned shortly after, citing health reasons. He coached only one season at Texas Tech, with an 8-23 record.
Gillispie then became the head coach at Ranger College, a junior college in Texas, in 2015. He led the team to a 31-7 record and a NJCAA national championship game appearance in his first season. He also set a Guinness World Record for the most tweets sent to celebrities in 24 hours, with 574 tweets, as part of a documentary project. He stayed at Ranger College for five seasons, compiling a 143-28 record.
Gillispie then joined Tarleton State University, a Division I school in Texas, as the head coach in 2020. He led the team to a 10-13 record in his first season, competing in the Western Athletic Conference. He took a medical leave of absence in 2021, due to health issues, and appointed Joseph Jones as the interim coach.
Billy Gillispie has a net worth of $2 million, as of 2024. He earns his income from his coaching contracts, his endorsements, and his book sales. He lives a comfortable lifestyle, and owns a house and a car. He is also active on social media, where he has thousands of followers and fans.
Height, Weight & Body Measurements
Billy Gillispie is a fit and athletic man, who stands at 6 feet and weighs about 180 pounds. He has brown hair and blue eyes. He dresses in a casual and sporty manner, and often wears hats and sunglasses. He takes care of his health and fitness, and follows a balanced diet and a regular exercise routine.
Interesting Facts About Billy Gillispie
Here are some interesting facts about Billy Gillispie that you may not know:
- He is a fan of soccer and supports the Sydney FC and the Juventus club.
- He is a lover of music and art, and enjoys listening to rock and classical music, and visiting museums and galleries.
- He is a survivor of plasmacytoma, a cancer of the immune system, which he was diagnosed with in 2010. He underwent successful therapy, but the cancer had already destroyed the vertebrae at the top of his spine. He received a titanium implant in his spine.
- He is a Guinness World Record holder, for the most tweets sent to celebrities in 24 hours. He tweeted 574 celebrities in 2011, as part of a documentary project.
- He is married to Carol Tobler, who is a journalist and a producer. They have two children, twins Arabella and Bennet, who were born in 2012.