Scott Padgett

Biography

Scott Padgett, a national champion standout at Kentucky and an eight-year NBA veteran, enters his second season as an assistant coach and his fourth season on Chris Jans’ coaching staff at Mississippi State in 2025-26. Padgett’s three seasons on State’s staff has resulted in a trio of NCAA Tournaments appearances on the strength of three consecutive 21-win seasons. Overall, it’s the third time in program history and the first time in two decades where the Bulldogs have put together three straight NCAA Tournament runs. The Bulldogs have broken into the Associated Press Top 25 poll during all three seasons and jumped up to as high as a No. 14 ranking in 2024-25. State has garnered 10 triumphs over AP Top 25 foes which is the program record for a three-year span. Padgett was promoted to assistant coach leading into the 2024-25 season after he served as State’s assistant to the head coach over his first two seasons. Overall, he possesses 16 seasons of coaching experience at the NCAA Division I level while has recruited and coached over 30 players that have gone on to play professionally. Before his time at State, Padgett completed a pair of one-year stints as an assistant coach at New Mexico under Paul Weir in 2020-21 and at Manhattan College working for former Kentucky teammate Steve Masiello in 2021-22. Padgett began his coaching career as an assistant strength coach at his alma mater during John Calipari’s first season at Kentucky in 2009-10. Then, he spent two seasons apiece