By Bill Raack, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – Vashon High School in St. Louis has a new basketball coach.
City school district officials announced Monday that former St. Louis University and NBA star Anthony Bonner will take over the program.
Bonner's hiring follows the controversial firing of popular long-time coach Floyd Irons by the school board back in July.
Bonner, who is a graduate of Vashon and played under Irons, says he has spoken to his former coach about his decision to take the job.
"He was like a father figure. He's definitely been a great leader and he's been a great inspiration in my life to accomplish some of the things that I have," Bonner said. "And all I can do is just take that and continue to move forward, knowing that I stand here before you today as a result of some of the things that he sacrificed and poured into me as a human being."
Bonner will also serve as the Executive Director of Community Outreach for the district, a job aimed at selling the idea of sending children to city schools.