Arizona assistant basketball coach Rem Bakamus posted his gratitude to Tommy Lloyd, the staff, players, managers and fans in a social media post after it was announced earlier on Friday he was leaving to accept a job with Texas Tech.
Texas Tech made the hiring official on Friday. Bakamus was originally hired by Lloyd as the Arizona Director of Player Development for the 2021-22 season and became a full-time assistant coach before the 2024-25 season. Bakamus was a Gonzaga walk-on from 2017-21 when Lloyd was an assistant coach there.
Bakamus returns to Texas, where he was a graduate assistant at Baylor and was on the staff when the Bears won the 2021 national championship. Before beginning his career as an assistant coach, Bakamus earned degrees in sports management and public relations from Gonzaga and a master's in sports pedagogy from Baylor.
Bakamus is the second assistant coach to leave Arizona during the 2025 offseason. Steve Robinson retired after 42 years in coaching following the conclusion of the 2024-25 season. Arizona hired Brandon Chappell to replace Robinson.
I’m leaving Tucson with a heart full of gratitude. I’m forever indebted to Coach Lloyd for believing in me and giving me so many opportunities to grow and develop as a coach! To the staff, players, managers, and fans I love y’all. pic.twitter.com/yWWj0NkcEM
— Rem Bakamus (@Rem_Bakamus) August 1, 2025
Texas Tech head coach Grant McCasland is good friends with Lloyd. McCasland was on the staff of the Under 18 USA National Team for the 2024 AmeriCup and 2025 U19 World Cup, led by Lloyd as head coach. Team USA won gold in both tournaments.
Bakamus has been a part of winning teams as a player and a coach. In five seasons as a player at Gonzaga, Bakamus was a part of 161 wins, five West Coast Conference championships, three NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinal appearances, two trips to the Regional Final and the 2017 NCAA Runner-Up.
On the staff for all four seasons at Arizona under Lloyd, Bakamus was a part of two Pac-12 regular season and tournament championships and three NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinals appearances. Bakamus will return to Tucson during the 2025-26 season in Texas Tech's only game versus Arizona.