Branden McDonald is in his second year as an assistant coach for the Manhattan men's basketball team.

McDonald ascends on Riverdale after serving the last two seasons as a graduate assistant for the University of Pittsburgh where he helped the Panthers qualify for a pair of postseason appearances, including the 2014 NCAA Tournament.

He assisted in player development, film breakdown and scouting reports.

In his first season at Pittsburgh, McDonald helped Lamar Patterson increase his scoring average by more than seven points per game while blossoming into a 2014 NBA Draft Pick.

All told, with McDonald on the bench the Panthers went 45-25, including 19-17 in the ultra-competitive ACC, highlighted by a win over Colorado in the 2014 NCAA Tournament.

Prior to his time in Oakland, McDonald served as an assistant coach for both the Eleanor Roosevelt High School and AAU Team Takeover programs after working as a counselor for the Hoop Group.

McDonald played his collegiate basketball at renowned Division II power Virginia Union University and following his graduation in 2011 worked as a paraprofessional in New Carrollton, MD.