Jalen Cannady enters his second season as an assistant men's basketball coach at Catawba Valley Community College in 2020-21.

During his first season, Cannady was a part of helping guide a Red Hawks program to a 22-9 overall record and 17-7 mark in Region X play.

A CVCC alumnus, Cannady finished his Red Hawks career averaging 10.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.4 blocks per game. In 49 games played, he recorded 506 points, 322 rebounds, 56 assists, 44 steals and 19 blocks.

After graduating from CVCC, Cannady completed his collegiate career at North Carolina Wesleyan College, where he played in 16 games for the Battling Bishops, averaging 7.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.

A wrist injury during his senior season ended Cannady’s collegiate playing career, but the unfortunate ailment allowed him to get his first taste of coaching.

Cannady served as a student assistant coach at Wesleyan during the 2015-16 season — his final with the Battling Bishops, and he was immediately drawn to the coaching profession.

Seven months following his graduation from Wesleyan, Cannady attempted to play professionally for the Five Star Sports organization in Shenzen, China, but he ended up continuing his coaching career overseas instead with the organization during the 2017 season.

With a couple of seasons of coaching experience under his belt, Cannady now joins a CVCC men’s basketball program that is coming off one of its best seasons ever. The Red Hawks finished their 2018-19 campaign with a 22-9 record overall and a 13-7 mark in Region 10 play.

Coaching is in Cannady’s bloodlines. His uncle Kenya Hunter, who has coaching experience at Nebraska, Georgetown, Xavier, Duquesne and N.C. State, is an assistant men’s basketball coach at UConn.

Cannady lives in Concord with his son, Cohen. He is the son of Rhonda and Michael Cannady Jr. and the brother of Jalliyah, Javian, Jamiyah and Janiyah Cannady.