- Lee University men’s basketball Coach Bubba Smith has hired an experienced assistant coach, Micka Stout, to replace former assistant Jason Laatsch who departed to become head men’s basketball coach at Bryan College.
Stout served as an assistant under Coach Dwain Osborne at The University of Charleston (D2) from January 2019-May 2024 and was an assistant on the University of Texas Permian Basin staff from June 2024 until March 2025.
He graduated with honors and a double major in Sports Business Administration & Biblical Studies from Calvary University (Kansas City, Mo.)
“We are excited to welcome Micka to Lee and our men’s basketball program,” said Coach Smith as he began comments about his new assistant.
“When hiring staff, you lean heavily on the people you know and trust. Micka comes highly recommended from his time under Coach Osborne at The University of Charleston.
“Micka aligns with our mission and vision of developing young men through the game of basketball. His passion for building meaningful relationships and helping young men reach their full potential though their sport is evident. Micka brings us invaluable experience after being a part of Osborne’s staff.”
During his five years at UC, the team was in the top seven in the nation in offensive field goal percentage across all three NCAA divisions, including being first in the nation across all divisions during the 2023-24 season. They finished first in conference all five years in team defense as well. Stout also oversaw the development of the post players, developing two top ten scorers in Charleston’s history, a conference player of the year, a conference freshman of the year, and several all-conference selections.
Coach Smith noted, “Micka will oversee our recruiting efforts, our post and forwards development and have a hand in every facet of the program. We are excited that he chose Lee Men’s Basketball!”
"Words cannot fully express how excited and grateful I am to join Coach Smith’s staff here at Lee. In the coaching industry, opportunities to work for coaches — but more importantly, people — of Coach Smith’s caliber are rare and hard to come by,” stressed the new assistant. “To have the chance to join him, assistant coach (Alex) Kelehear, and this fantastic group of players has me fired up to show up every day and give everything I have to help fulfill Coach Smith’s vision for this program!"
Stout added, "In my brief time here, one thing has become abundantly clear: wearing 'Lee' across your chest means something. There is a real sense of pride in being part of this university. Everyone I have met truly loves being here, and that has created an immense amount of excitement in me. It is clear that everyone is pulling in the same direction, and I cannot wait to join them.”
Stout also praised the returning players, "Throughout the interview process and my first few weeks on campus, one of the major bright spots has been our returners. They were big reasons why I wanted to work here in the first place. Not only are our returners high-level players, but they are also high-character individuals you genuinely enjoy being around every day.
“Their intentionality during my visit left a lasting impression, and their care for each other and for this university showed me that this isn’t just a coach-led program — it’s one where the players, many of whom have been here for several years, deeply care about the program’s direction and are committed to stewarding their time here well. Their relationship-driven approach made Lee a destination I knew I wanted to be part of."
Coaches Smith, Stout and Kelehear are working overtime to add a couple of more talented players to the 2025-26 roster.