Ashton Gibbs is going from the preps to the pros.

As a coach.

The 32-year-old Scotch Plains, N.J. native and former Seton Hall Prep and University of Pittsburgh star has been hired as an assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks organization after spending the summer coaching on the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League circuit with the NJ Scholars 15U team. He will coach mainly with the College Park (Ga.) Skyhawks of the G League, but will spend training camp with the NBA club.

Ashton is going to bring youthful energy to our staff, Tori Miller, GM of the Skyhawks, told NJ Advance Media. Were really looking forward to having his strong player development background, as we believe he can use his playing experience to coach our guards in particular and help them develop on both ends of the floor.

Its quite an impressive jump for Gibbs, who has assistant coaching experience on the college level at Duquesne, and was also the head coach at The Phelps School, a prep school in Malvern, Pa.

This summer he coached the Scholars 15U team to the Final Four of their age bracket at the prestigious Nike Peach Jam. They notched a victory against Nightrydas Elite, which went on to win the 15U championship.

On that team, he coached the descendants of several former NBA players, including Olin Chamberlain, who is related to NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain, Jaron McKie, the son of Temple coach and former NBA player Aaron McKie and Brandon Lee, the son of former Butch Lee, the first Puerto Rican and first Latin American-born athlete to play in the NBA.

I did a little bit of research on him and saw that he went to Pitt and everything, Chamberlain, a Class of 2025 guard from Harleysville, Pa., said this summer at Peach Jam. Everything he did as a player, playing for the USA [Basketball] team, everything he did I want to strive to do as a player, and try to be like him.

Gibbs said he isnt exactly sure if someone with the Hawks organization noticed him at Peach Jam, but he recently got a call from them and then did several interviews by phone.

They heard I was doing a good job and one thing led to another, they interviewed me a couple times and I did well in the interview process, Gibbs said Friday by phone. From what they told me, I was impressive in the interview process...and it was a quick process.

He heads to Atlanta Sunday and training camps starts Monday.

The Hawks have several New Jersey players in Englewood native Tyson Etienne and Malik Ellison, who attended Life Center Academy in Burlington and is the son of former Louisville star Pervis Ellison. A.J. Griffin, the former Duke star and the son of ex-Seton Hall standout Adrian Griffin, is also on the Hawks.

They actually have a good little New York/New Jersey bounce on the team, Gibbs said of the Hawks. They got a couple guys from the area.

Gibbs has big goals down the road.

I want to be a head NBA coach, thats the goal, he said. Anything could happen, but the NBA is the NBA, its the top of the top.

Rutgers assistant Brandin Knight, who coached Gibbs at Pittsburgh, believes he brings a lot to the table.

Ashton was one of the most dedicated players Ive ever coached, Knight said. He loves being in the gym and working on skill development. I think he has a lot to offer teaching the game as well. There will be things he will have to learn about the NBA game but Im sure he can do a great job in any role their asking him to fulfill.

And to think, this summer Gibbs was coaching 15-year-olds at Peach Jam.

No, I wouldnt have believed it, man, Gibbs said. And thats why I tell people all the time, you just never know whos watching, whos connected to who. Just give your best effort at all times and control what you can control.

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Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.com.

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Preps to pros: N.J. native Ashton Gibbs gets coaching call-up from grassroots basketball to NBA - NJ.com