John Stockton is back in the game.

The NBA Hall of Famer has joined the Montana State women’s basketball program as an assistant coach, the school announced Tuesday morning.

Stockton, whose daughter Lindsay is a senior guard for the Bobcats, will replace Kellee Barney, who announced last week that she was leaving the program to enter private business and be with family in the Seattle area, last week.

“With the timing right before the start of the season, we were looking for someone that would offer us the smoothest transition, and John is someone who has been consistently around our program that we respect and trust," MSU coach Tricia Binford said.

Binford added that the move made sense because Stockton coached four of her current Bobcats, including Lindsay and Hannah Caudill at Gonzaga Prep, and Delaney Junkermier and Lexi Dawkins on the Sandpipers AAU team in Spokane.

"Coach Binford called and took a flier asking if I'd be interested," Stockton said. "I'm excited about the prospect of working with the kids. I've enjoyed watching the team over the past three years. I had a chance to be around them and develop relationships during their trip to the Bahamas this spring. It will be a fun group to work with."

Binford and Stockton are still working on logistics for on-court practices and game days. He currently resides in Spokane.

Another of Stockton’s daughters, Laura, will play for Gonzaga this year.

The Bobcat women's basketball team will open the season Nov. 4 when it hosts Montana Tech in exhibition play.

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