The longtime San Diego State associate head coach takes over a program that consistently competed for conference titles under Rodney Terry but struggled to gain the community's support.
Hutson is a Bakersfield native and won two NCAA Division II championships at CSU Bakersfield as a player. Before heading to San Diego State, Hutson was previously an assistant coach at Cal Poly.
Hutson was introduced at a news conference at the school Thursday.
WATCH: News conference to introduce Justin Hutson
PRESS CONFERENCE: Fresno State introduces new head Basketball Coach Justin Hutson
"Not too often do you get a chance to have such a great opportunity and your dream job mixed in one, and this is what we have here at Fresno State."
WATCH: Coach Q discusses hire of Justin Hutson as Bulldogs Basketball Coach
Coach Q discusses hire of Justin Hutson as Bulldogs Basketball Coach
But before he could be introduced as the Bulldogs next head coach, the administration saw to it that Hutson got a taste of Fresno, stopping for a bite at Dog House Grill this afternoon
"A lot of people don't know what tri-tip is if you're not from the Valley, but I definitely do, so I had a great tri-tip sandwich. It was awesome."
Bulldog boosters like Nick Dvorak call Hutson a solid hire and a good get for the school.
"I'm thrilled to see them get a guy like him. I don't know him, but (San Diego State head coach) Steve Fisher is not chopped liver down there, and he was working for him. He's a guy looking for opportunity, and we've got one, and I think that's good."
But Hutson's biggest challenge might be to fill the Save Mart Center, a feat no Bulldog coach has been able to accomplish.