Nate Tomlinson’s coaching journey from Colorado to Providence and back

Colorado Buffaloes assistant coach Nate Tomlinson faces some old friends Friday night in the Providence Friars. (Photo by Matt Spivack/Sko Buffs Sports)

For Colorado Buffaloes basketball fans, the name Nate Tomlinson might sound familiar.

The Melbourne, Australia native suited up in the black and gold from 2008-12 under head coach Tad Boyle. Now, the former CU guard is back in a different capacity, beginning his second coaching stint alongside Boyle. 

“It means a lot to me personally," Boyle told Sko Buffs Sports. “Having a guy that you coached…Now he’s back home, to me, where he belongs, is heartwarming. It’s exciting for me as a coach to see a guy that’s grown as much in that four-year period. He’s a different guy; different coach.”

Tomlinson’s first-ever coaching gig was at Shantou University in China, under his dad, Bill. Tomlinson only spent a year in the country, yet he labeled his experience there invaluable. 

“It was really cool,” he said.  “You're going through the transition of an identity change as a player to a coach. So just learning those things… But that environment, learning from him, having the flexibility to travel the country and learn from some coaches that I really respected, that was the most significant part of that year. And also the time with my dad was really good as well.” 

In 2018, Tomlinson moved back to Boulder, joining the coaching staff as an intern for the season and spending the next two seasons as Colorado’s director of player development. 

“In my first three years as a coach [at Colorado], I learned a lot under this current staff,” Tomlinson said. “I just felt like it was time to go learn on my own… Experience some different things and go to a part of the country I had never been to before.”

He left to join former CU assistant Kim English’s staff, a childhood rival and newly acquired friend, at George Mason from 2021-23 and Providence in 2023. 

Tomlinson speaks highly of his relationship with English. 

“Like my brother,” Tomlinson said. “Competitive, we are cut from the same cloth. We talk every day, but once November 1st hit, we haven’t spoken.” 

Now back on the Buffaloes staff, Tomlinson and English will have to put their friendship on the back burner when their squads face off against each other this Friday. 

Despite the love for English and his old squad, Tomlinson was more than happy to return to Boulder.  

“This is home for me and my wife and our families,” Tomlinson said. “It was a pretty easy decision when coach Boyle offered me the spot.”

During his playing days, Tomlinson was a Colorado fan favorite. In his four-year tenure, the 6-foot-3 guard holds the fourth most games started in program history with 112. As a former CU player, he’s an asset for the current generation of Buffaloes. 

“It’s great having him,” freshman guard Isaiah Johnson said. “He was a point guard here, so he knows exactly what coach Boyle wants from us, especially on the defensive end. All he preaches is competition.”

Although playing in the NBA was his dream, Tomlinson has found a new calling as an assistant coach, garnering high praise. Tip-off against his former Friars is set for Friday at 7 p.m. MT in Boulder.

“He is ready to be a head coach,” Boyle said. “Certainly, Nate, at some point, is going to get his shot, and I’m going to do whatever I can do to help him make that happen.”