Former Blueboy TJ Ervin is in his first year as an assistant coach with the Illinois College men’s basketball program.

Ervin returns to the Hilltop after a two-year stint on the University of South Florida men’s basketball staff as a graduate assistant. While in Tampa, Ervin handled a wide variety of duties, which included coordinating individual player workouts, creating opponent scouting reports, editing video footage, breaking down daily practice and game footage, preparing the scout team, and analyzing in-game defensive matchups. He was a part of the coaching staff that helped the Bulls to the 2024 American Athletic Conference regular season title.

Ervin earned a pair of letters for the Blueboys from 2019-21 before serving two years as a student manager at Missouri, where he assisted the Tigers’ coaching staff by preparing video scouting reports and on-campus recruiting itineraries. During his time in Columbia, Ervin also worked as an assistant coach at Father Tolton High School.

Aside from his coaching experience, TJ served as a Sports and Competition Lead for Mizzou Rec Services. He has also been a College Mentor in Chicago since 2015.

A native of Naperville, Ill., Ervin played his high school basketball at Chicago’s Providence St. Mel, where he helped the Knights win a state title on a team that was coached by his father, Tim.

TJ owns Communications degrees from both Missouri (BA) and South Florida (Master’s).