Former MSU Basketball Fan-Favorite Looking to Make Olympics
Former Michigan State men's basketball guard Lourawls "Tum Tum" Nairn Jr. has been living his best life the past few months.
The former Spartan guard and coach was recently named associate head coach of the Bowling Green men's basketball program. Now, he is looking to make history for his home country.
Following their win over Lebanon on Saturday, Nairn and the Bahamas men's national basketball team are just one win away from qualifying for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
The Bahamas defeated Lebanon 89-72 in the FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament semi-final, led by Portland Trailblazers center Deandre Ayton's 24 points and 15 rebounds.
One of the biggest storylines in Saturday's contest was the matchup between Nairn and one of his players at Bowling Green, forward Youssef Khayat, who transferred from Michigan this offseason.
Well this is pretty cool. BGSU assistant men's basketball coach Lourawls Nairn Jr., playing for the Bahamas, will be squaring off against Falcons' junior forward Youssef Khayat of Lebanon in the semifinals of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Spain on Saturday.
— Michael Burwell (@Michael_Burwell) July 5, 2024
Nairn is a native of Nassau, Bahamas. He played four seasons at Michigan State. While he wasn't much of a scoring threat, Nairn's speed and defense made him a key roleplayer for the Spartans, especially during the 2016-17 season when he started in 30 games.
Nairn played a total of 137 games at Michigan State, making 66 starts. Following his playing career, Nairn would join the Phoenix Suns' front office before returning to Michigan State to serve as a graduate assistant.
The former Spartan guard then became the head coach at his alma mater, Sunrise Christian Academy. Nairn then served as an assistant coach for the Southern Utah Thunderbirds before following Coach Todd Simon to Bowling Green.
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