Squadron Announce 2023-24 Basketball Operations and Coaching Staff

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Birmingham Squadron, NBA G League affiliate of the New Orleans Pelicans, announced the coaching staff for the 2023-24 season Thursday.

Head coach T.J. Saint returns for his second season at the helm of the Squadron, joined by assistant coaches Jodie Meeks (second season), Joe Barrer (first season), Jonathan Mitchell (first season) and player development coach Jalen Cannady (first season).

The Squadron also have a new general manager of basketball operations for 2023-24, as Adam Barnes joins the Birmingham staff.

Barnes enters his fifth season with the Pelicans, his first as Birmingham Squadron general manager of basketball operations. Barnes joined the Pelicans as the basketball operations department’s Chief of Staff in 2019 before being promoted to Director of College Scouting in 2021. Prior to joining the Pelicans, Barnes was a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers front office, serving as a basketball operations assistant during the 2016-17 season before being elevated to basketball operations coordinator from 2017-19.

A native of Clarksville, Tenn., Barnes holds bachelors and master’s degrees in accounting from Belmont University. While at Belmont, Barnes was a four-year letter-winner for the men’s basketball team, appearing in 111 career games, helping the Bruins capture four consecutive regular season conference championships from 2010-13 and three consecutive conference tournament championships and NCAA Tournament appearances from 2011-13.

Barrer joins the Birmingham Squadron coaching staff for the 2023-24 season after two seasons as the head coach of the Lakeland (Osceola) Magic. As a head coach, Barrer holds an all-time record of 41-55, including finishing the 2022-23 season with a regular season record of 18-14. Prior to becoming the head coach, he served in both assistant and associate head coach roles for Lakeland for four seasons under head coach Stan Heath. During that time, the Magic were tied for most regular season wins in the league and won the 2021 NBA G League title.

Prior to joining Lakeland, Barrer worked as an assistant coach for the Iowa Energy (Wolves), as well as holding the same position for both Bethel University and Truman State University. Barrer served as head coach at Assumption High School in Davenport, Iowa for five seasons after beginning his coaching career at George Mason as director of basketball operations, during which time the Patriots advanced to the 2006 Final Four.

As a player at Saint Ambrose University, Barrer helped lead his alma mater to the MCC championship in 2000, 2002 and 2003.

Mitchell enters his first season as a member of the Birmingham Squadron coaching staff in 2023-24 after spending three seasons as an assistant coach at Stetson University under head coach Donnie Jones.

Prior to joining the Hatter staff, Mitchell served as a graduate assistant under head coach Tom Crean at Georgia after a seven-year professional career as a player, including stops with teams in Spain, Israel, France, Greece, Hungary and Iceland.

The Mount Vernon, N.Y. native played collegiately at Florida, including as a forward on the 2007 national championship team under Billy Donovan, before transferring to Rutgers to complete his college career. Mitchell is a 2011 graduate of Rutgers with a degree in communications.

2023-24 Birmingham Squadron Basketball Operations and Coaching Staff

The Birmingham Squadron open their season on Friday, Nov. 10, as the team hosts the Austin Spurs for Hoops for Troops, presented by Pearl River Resort and Alabama Power. For tickets or more information about the Squadron, visit BirminghamSquadron.com or call the front office at (205) 719-0850.