James Demopoulos enters his first season as Assistant Coach at Salt Lake Community College. Coach James brings a wealth of experience to SLCC as he has coached at the college and professional levels for a total of 9 seasons.
In 2014, Demopoulos started his career in the professional ranks as an Assistant Coach for Australian NBL franchise Melbourne United. In 2 seasons, Demopoulos was part of a staff that recorded new NBL records for Longest Winning Streak (9 games in 2014-15), Most Total Wins by a new Head Coach and Minor Premiership Champions in the first season as a staff (regular season best record) in 2014-15. Demopoulos was responsible for the appointment of import guard Stephen Holt, who made All NBL Second Team in his debut season.
After making his return to America in 2018, Coach Demopoulos served one year as an Assistant Coach for NAIA Warner Pacific University in his hometown of Portland, Oregon.
Coach Demopoulos joined the Junior College ranks in the 2018-19 season after being hired at Southeastern Community College in West Burlington Iowa. In his lone season with the Blackhawks the team posted a 22-9 record and Demopoulos recruited the teams only First Team All-Conference player, Aaris Bonds.
In 2019-20 Demopoulos was hired by Junior College powerhouse Chipola College in Marianna, Florida. Demopoulos spent two seasons at Chipola where the Indians were able to rack up a lot of accomplishments. From the 2020-21 to 2021-22 season Chipola went 53-11 while winning Back to Back Panhandle Conference and Region Championships while also going to Back to Back Final Fours at the National Tournament held in Hutchinson, Kansas. In two seasons Demopoulos recruited a pair of NJCAA All Americans in Jaeden Zackery and Nae’Qwan Tomlin as well as First Team All Conference selections Carlos Lemus and Achor Achor.
After leaving the Panhandle Conference, James accepted another professional job this time in Canada’s top league, the CEBL, for the Saskatchewan Rattlers during the summer season of 2022. As part of a first year staff taking over a franchise that won a total of 2 games in their previous 2 seasons, the Rattlers were able to win 11 games and make the playoffs with home court advantage.
Demopoulos then went to another powerhouse conference, the WJCAC in Texas where he was hired at Midland College. After an 11 year drought from the Region 5 Tournament, Demopoulos helped lead the Chaps to a Region 5 Championship in his first year. Demopoulos recruited First Team All Conference selections Keonte Jones and Doug Young. After an injury riddled second season, Demopoulos finished his stint as Assistant Coach with Midland holding a 48-17 record while also getting a chance to Head Coach three total games (Dodge City, Ranger and Clarendon) going 3-0.
In the Summer of 2023, Demopoulos was hired by longtime Division 1 coach Sergio Rouco as an Assistant Coach for the El Salvador National Team. Demopoulos joined the staff as an Assistant coach along with current Division 1 Head Coach, Tony Pujol. During the Central American Games hosted in San Salvador that summer, the Salvadorians beat a Virgin Islands team for the first time in the history of the country and made huge strides in the basketball world as an up and coming Central American basketball country.
In his 6 years of junior college coaching, James helped 27 players move on to Division 1 schools on full ride athletic scholarships.
James is the Son of longtime NBA and NCAA coach Dean Demopoulos.
