You know, sometimes, just sometimes, you change a thing or two about yourself, and suddenly, your whole life takes a turn you never saw coming. That’s been the case with Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes. He’s not the same college basketball coach he used to be. In fact, he’ll be the first to tell you—he’s glad he’s no longer his former self.

What changed? Perspective. Through his family, through his faith, outside of a 40-minute basketball game. Now, entering his 11th season with the Volunteers, Rick Barnes is a different man, with different priorities. Yes, basketball is still a massive part of his life, but his roots, his family, and his faith is what truly matters to him.

Where did Rick Barnes come from? What’s the Tennessee HC’s nationality?

Rick Barnes is as American as they come. Born and raised in Hickory, North Carolina, he was the fourth of five children. But life wasn’t exactly a smooth ride. His father wasn’t around, leaving his mother, Mary, to shoulder the weight of raising a family. Thankfully, his older sister, Sandy, was there. 

Sandy wasn’t just a sibling, she was like a second mom to Rick. She spoiled him, looked out for him, and made sure he had everything he needed. Then, tragedy struck. Right after her high school graduation in 1968, Sandy was involved in a car accident that took her life. 

Rick was just finishing eighth grade when it happened, and as he puts it, he “kind of went off the deep end a little bit.” Basketball became his escape. The gym at the Hickory Foundation YMCA turned into his second home. 

He spent so much time there that C.O. Miller, who ran the place, literally gave him the keys. If there was a gym rat hall of fame, Rick Barnes would’ve been a first-ballot inductee. But it wasn’t just about basketball. The people in his community rallied around him—teachers, coaches, and friends who refused to let him slip through the cracks. 

His ninth-grade algebra teacher, Alice Watts, and his junior high basketball coach, Bill Johnson, made sure he didn’t give up on school. John Lentz, a player at Lenoir-Rhyne College, took him under his wing, eventually becoming his college teammate.

Barnes wasn’t the most talented player, but he had something special—an undeniable drive. That drive turned him into one of the most respected college basketball coaches in the country. From Texas to Tennessee, his resume speaks for itself: 48 years of coaching, five programs, and 16 NCAA tournament appearances in 17 seasons at Texas alone.

Along the way, he has helped install a roof and a playground at East Hickory Baptist Church. Plus, the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears have some burnt orange basketball gear. That mean, Barnes hasn’t forgotten his heroes, either.

Is Rick Barnes religious?

Absolutely! Rick Barnes is a Christian, and not just in name—his faith is a defining part of his life. But it wasn’t always this way. “I think God had me when I was young, but I let the world take me down roads I shouldn’t have gone,” he once admitted. “But I believe that once He gets a hold of you, He won’t let you go.”

Faith, for Barnes, isn’t just about personal salvation—it’s about sharing it. “We should want our players to understand who Jesus Christ is,” he said. “They should see us living that every single day.” The shift in his life became most evident about a decade ago, and his family, consisting of his wife and two children, took notice.

His son, Nick Barnes, now a missionary in the Middle East, described it as a complete transformation. “It was like he became a new person—much more at peace, much more affectionate.” His daughter, Carley, saw it too. “I think it was totally God. He started taking his faith seriously, and his whole outlook changed.” Barnes is still as competitive as ever. He still dreams of a Final Four run, of bringing home a national championship. But he’s a different coach now, one who sees the bigger picture.

In his own words, “I think God created everything we do. I think he created basketball. It’s the platform we’re supposed to use to be teachers and mentors of young people.” This has also helped me hold his closed ones tight. His family went from ‘culturally Christian,’ attending church two or three times a month, to living God-centered lives.

And from what we can, they are glad that it happened. 

What is Rick Barnes’s ethnicity?

Well, Rick Barnes has not publicly detailed his ancestral lineage, his deep ties to Hickory, North Carolina, offer some clues. The region, settled primarily in the 18th and 19th centuries by Scots-Irish, German, and English immigrants, suggests that Barnes’ ethnicity likely reflects this mix of European heritage common to the Appalachian foothills. Many families in Catawba County, where Hickory is located, trace their roots to these early settlers who shaped the area’s culture and values—values like resilience and community that Barnes himself embodies. Without a documented genealogy, his ethnicity remains a broad stroke of Americana, painted by the rural South’s diverse European tapestry. But his identity is deeply rooted in his faith, his family, and his community.

And what we know for sure is Coach Barnes is coming back for another season on Rocky Top. “We’re already planning to have a team next year, and I fully plan to be a part of it,” Barnes recently said. So, get ready, as the 70-year-old is all set for what could possibly be his last year as a coach.