Robert Kirby will be the fourth men's basketball coach in the program's history.

During his career, he has helped lead teams to 19 total postseason appearances (11 NCAA Tournaments, eight NITs, and has coached 18 professional players. Most recently, Kirby spent the 2023-24 season on the staff at Kennesaw State.
 
The Memphis native has also made coaching stops at Ole Miss (2022-23), Georgetown (2017-22), LSU (2012-13, 2016-17), Memphis (2013-15), Mississippi State (1989-83, 1998-2010), Houston (1993-98), Southeastern Louisiana (1988-89), and UALR (1985-88). Some of his coaching highlights include three NCAA Tournament appearances at Georgetown,10 postseason appearances in 12 years at Mississippi State, five All-Americans and several nationally ranked recruiting classes. Kirby also pulled in consecutive top-15 recruiting classes at Georgetown in his first time with the program (2010-12). He has been recognized by both Rivals.com as one of the nation's top recruiters, and HoopScoop as one of the country's top assistant coaches. Kirby has also received the NABC (National Association of Basketball Coaches) Distinguished Years of Service Award.

Kirby has coached several future NBA players at the Division I level, including Otto Porter Jr., a Scott County Central grad who just concluded an 11-year NBA career which included a championship in 2022 with the Golden State Warriors. Other NBA players Kirby has coached include Erick Dampier, Damon Jones, Jonathan Bender and Monta Ellis.
 
Kirby played at Three Rivers — and for Naismith Hall of Fame coach Gene Bess — from 1978-80 and was a member of the Raiders' first national championship team in 1979. He finished his playing career at Texas-Pan American, now known as Texas-Rio Grande Valley, before beginning a 40-year long coaching career.