Once a player and now a coach, but always a Zag
SPOKANE, Wash. (BVM) — If there was one word to describe the Gonzaga men’s basketball program over the last two decades, it might as well be consistency. There hasn’t been a season without an NCAA tournament appearance under Mark Few, including six straight trips to the Sweet Sixteen and a pair of runner-up finishes in four years.
The Zags have also had a stranglehold over the West Coast Conference, as eight of the last nine championships have been brought to Spokane. Include numerous 20 and 30–plus regular season win totals and it’s clear that GU can always be counted as a force to be reckoned with.
Likewise, the coaching staff has seen little turnover in recent years. Not many of Few’s assistants have ventured outside of the university, except for the occasional head coaching opportunity elsewhere. This was the case when Tommy Lloyd was hired to lead the Arizona Wildcats, leaving the staff shorthanded heading into the summer.
Luckily there was another assistant coach who’s already familiar with the culture and international influence that’s become a crucial part of GU’s recruiting process. His name is Stephen Gentry, who’s been a Zag at heart for some time now.
“I’m humbled and honored to return to Gonzaga and serve a program that has meant so much to me,” Gentry said in a press release. “Gonzaga is a special place and one of the elite programs in all of college basketball. I look forward to rejoining the Zag family.”
Gentry’s first experience with GU came almost two decades ago as a walk-on recruit trying to earn a role on a very talented Bulldogs roster. Featuring campus legends Ronny Turiaf, Blake Stepp, Cory Violette and Adam Morrison, Gentry’s playing time was limited, yet he still served as a vocal leader. In his four–year career, he lettered three times and the Zags won four straight West Coast Conference championships.
Despite few opportunities to see the floor as a player, Gentry’s time as a player still paid dividends.
Upon arrival to Spokane, Gentry grew close with fellow walk-on and eventual roommate Brian Michaleson. The two maintained contact after their playing days; Michaelson was a part of Gentry’s wedding, and if it weren’t for scheduling conflicts, Gentry most likely would have returned the favor for his friend.
And now, years later, the duo will reunite as assistant coaches.
“To see him work his way up and I’ve been working my way up, it’s really cool to go from two walk-ons that hardly played to both of us on that bench together.” Gentry said about Michaelson to the Spokesman-Review.
The opportunity to learn the nuances of the game under Few has also paid dividends for Gentry’s coaching career. From his time with the Miami Heat as a video intern to his assistant coach roles at the University of Illinois, there has always been a hint of Gonzaga’s play style and mantra that follows him. This was most evident with the Fighting Illini, who ranked eighth in offensive efficiency this past season based on KenPom’s data while having similarities to the Bulldogs’ offense. Brad Underwood, who has served as the head coach at Stephen F. Austin, Oklahoma State and Illinois with Gentry on his staff, gave more play calling duties to his assistant after seeing how well his team performed in the system.
It’s this type of leadership that appeals most to Gentry, one that isn’t restrictive and authoritarian. Just another incentive for him to come back to Gonzaga.
“We’re all expected to coach, scout, recruit,” Gentry said to the Spokesman-Review. “The assistants do a little bit of everything, and that helps us grow as coaches.”
Following Lloyd’s departure to Arizona, the rumors began swirling about who would fill the role. Some suspected Gentry would get the call, but there was also the possibility that he would follow his longtime friend to the desert. Lloyd was one of the first coaches that greeted Gentry to Spokane decades ago after all, however, Underwood had a feeling his assistant could not resist coming back to Spokane.
“It is great to have Stephen back in the program,” Few said. “He knows the program having played and coached here previously, but has also garnered some other tremendous coaching experiences.”
Apparently it is true then; once a Zag, always a Zag.
