Source: San Diego is hiring Iowa State assistant Blount as coach

San Diego is hiring Iowa State assistant JR Blount as its next head coach, sources told ESPN.

Blount replaces Steve LaVine, who announced last month that he was being let go at the end of the season.

Considered one of the top rising assistant coaches in the country, Blount spent the past five seasons under TJ Otzelberger at Iowa State. Blount helped develop the Cyclones into one of the most consistent programs in the country, winning 120 games while in Ames. They are also heading to their fifth NCAA Tournament appearance.

Iowa State has turned in a top-15 defense nationally in each of the past five seasons. The Cyclones were first in consistent defensive efficiency in 2023-24 and ranked in the top five in defensive turnover rate in three of the past four seasons.

Before joining Iowa State, Blount spent three seasons as an assistant at Colorado State under Nico Medved, whom he followed after one season at Drake.

Blount will look to turn around a San Diego men’s basketball program that hasn’t gone to the NCAA Tournament or finished above .500 in West Coast Conference play since 2007-08. The Toreros finished 12-21 this past season, going 5-13 in league play.