Hanks served as an Assistant Basketball Coach for the Ole Miss Rebels and Head CoachBob Weltlich from 1976 to 1981. During this time Ole Miss competed in the school's first ever post season NIT Tournament in school history, first ever NCAA Tournament and won the school's first ever and only SEC Tournament Championship.
Hanks was head coach at Samford from 1981 to 1984. During his tenure as Head Coach Samford won 20 games for the first time in school history. Hanks was named as the Trans America Conference Coach of the Year and the Birmingham Tip-Off Club Coach of the Year. He compiled a 46–38 record.
This was a Pre-Olympic team selected to compete in tournaments in Korea, South Pacific and versus the Pan American Basketball Team in Manhattan, Kansas. The USA Team won Championships in both tournaments.
From 1984 to 1987, Hanks prowled the sidelines as head coach at South Alabama and garnered a 45–43 record. In March 1987, Mike Hanks refused to resign as South Alabama's basketball coach with two years remaining in his contract and refused other options offered by the school. He was dismissed by Joe Gottfried, the school's athletic director. Hanks was in the third year of a five-year contract. In Hanks's three seasons at South Alabama his teams finished 15–13, 16–16 and 14–14.
Hanks served as an Assistant Basketball Coach under Head Coach Bob Weltlich
Cocodrilos de Caracas
Hanks served as Head Coach and Director of Sports for the Crocodiles of Caracas, Venezuela. He compiled a franchise record wins, League Championship and Tournament Championship. The Cocodrilos were selected to compete in the South American Cup
Manchester Giants
The owners of the British Basketball League Manchester Giants were putting together a new look team and brought in United States college coach Mike Hanks for the start of the '94–95 season. Although they only finished fourth and fifth in Coach Hanks' two seasons, the Giants were Play-off runners-up, losing the Wembley Championship Final to Worthing by a narrow 77–73. The Giants were semi-finalist, Wembley Championship. The Giants were selected for the European Cup in both 1995 and advancing to the second round
Hanks distinguished himself as the school's most successful basketball coach, setting school records for the most wins in a season, highest conference finish and most wins to start a season. For five seasons Hanks was the head coach at Saint Leo and compiled a 66–70 record. Hanks tendered his resignation in March 2001.
US National Team
On temporary assignment from Samford, Hanks served as an assistant coach to then Texas coach, Bob Weltlich for the US national team in the 1982 FIBA World Championship, winning the silver medal in Cali, Colombia. In 1983 Hanks coached the USA Select Basketball Team to a 12–0 record in Asia.
