STARKVILLE, Miss. – One year away from collegiate athletics was all it took for David Deets to realize he wanted to return.

So when Mississippi State offered him the opportunity to be the Director of Basketball Performance for both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, he didn’t hesitate to accept.

Deets, 39, begins his journey with the Bulldogs after spending the previous year in Oklahoma as the director of rehab and strength & conditioning for the Tuttle Public School district. Prior to that position, he was on Mike Anderson’s staff at Arkansas for three years as strength and conditioning coach.

He replaces Richard Akins, who retired earlier this month after 33 years at Mississippi State.

“I am excited to be back in the SEC and at a school like Mississippi State with the tradition they have in basketball,” Deets said. “Being able to join Coach (Ben) Howland and his staff, who have a great record of success, is very exciting. And working with Vic (Schaefer) and his staff after seeing what he’s done here in a short period of time is equally exciting. There’s going to be a lot of change here, and it’s going to be for the good. I can’t wait to get with our players and start our training to get ready for next season.”

Deets, who became a Master Strength Coach in 2013, is well-respected across the country for his innovative approach to strength and conditioning. He’s been a featured speaker at national conferences and was one of seven individuals worldwide in Nike Basketball’s SPARQ program, which develops testing measures for basketball.

During his time with the Razorbacks, he helped design a new weight room and was instrumental in the development of Jacorey Williams, Bobby Portis, the 2015 SEC Player of the Year, and Moses Kingsley.

Prior to his stint at Arkansas, Deets spent five years with Anderson at Missouri. He helped with the renovations of the Sally O. Nichols Weight Room and mentored four National Strength and Conditioning All-Americans. Deets’ off-season regimen with the Tigers was key in Missouri’s three NCAA tournament runs and Big 12 Tournament Championship in 2009.

After graduating from Northeastern State University in 2000, Deets went on to a graduate assistantship at Oklahoma State. After one year with the Cowboys, he landed his first full-time job at Northwestern State in Natchitoches, La. As head strength and conditioning coach, Deets oversaw all the aspects of strength training for NSU’s 14 intercollegiate sports. His career path would then take Deets to Texas Christian and back to Oklahoma State before settling in at Missouri prior to the 2006-07 season.

Deets earned his degree from Northeastern State in Health and Human Performance in 2000. The Newcastle, Okla., native and his wife Angela have two daughters, Emery Rose (8), and Violet Beatrice (5).