“David Thomas is a great addition to our staff as Director of Basketball Operations. He brings experience from both the business world and athletics, having worked with Suzy Merchant and the women’s basketball team,” Izzo said in a release. “He also provides a link to our past, having been a member of the 2000 NCAA Championship team, as well as four Big Ten Championship and three Final Four squads.”

Thomas played for MSU from 1996-2001 as a guard/forward, and was a part of the 2000 team that won a National Championship. He started 42 games and averaged 3.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 114 career games. Thomas graduated from MSU in 2001 with a degree in advertising and went on to a nine-year professional career.

Thomas is replacing Kevin Pauga, who has been promoted from the athletic staff and will move to the administrative staff as the Assistant Athletic Director for the men’s basketball team.

Filling Thomas’ shoes will be Bond. Prior to her job at MSU, Bond was the Director of Basketball Operations at Arizona from 2008-2011. She was also an assistant coach at Central Florida from 2007-08. Bond played point guard at Ohio State for four seasons, helping the Buckeyes advance to the NCAA championship game in 1993. She was named OSU’s best defensive player and was a team captain during her last two seasons. Bond graduated from OSU in 1995 with a degree in marketing.

“We are excited to have Alysiah Bond join our staff,” Merchant said in a release. “She is highly energetic and will bring great passion to the MSU women’s basketball program. She has competed and worked with successful programs and organizations within women’s basketball while being a tremendous mentor to student-athletes. We look forward to having her be a part of our Spartan family.”