“If you’re trying to be phony or selling them something that’s not there, it doesn’t work.”
New Virginia men’s basketball coach Tony Bennett used these words to describe the conversations he had with 2009 recruits Tristan Spurlock and Jontel Evans, both of whom recently told Bennett that they would honor their commitments to attend Virginia.
Bennett may as well have been talking about the interview I conducted with him Wednesday morning. In the sports writing business, you get plenty of interviews that can be described as “phony.” Bennett’s, though, was not one of them.
But his personality is not all I like about him. In the two weeks since he arrived at Virginia, there is nothing to complain about regarding his progress. First, he successfully convinced both Spurlock and Evans to come here, after they had reportedly signed last fall because of their relationships with former coach Dave Leitao and former assistant coach Bill Courtney. The Daily Progress, however, reported March 17 that it was “a virtual certainty” that Spurlock would decommit.
And now, it appears that Bennett has hit the nail on the head after filling up his own staff of assistants with the recruiting ties that he lacks. Head assistant coach Ritchie McKay left Liberty to come here. Regardless of whether this had anything to do with the transfer of Seth Curry, Stephen Curry’s younger brother, from Liberty to Duke, McKay is a winning hire. He’s got head coaching experience and goes back with Bennett nearly to his college days. Most importantly, he has recruiting ties to Virginia.
The same recruiting aspect goes for assistant coach Jason Williford, a Virginia basketball alum who was previously an assistant coach at American University. Even assistant coach Ron Sanchez, who was on Bennett’s staff at Washington State, offers recruiting help. He played four years and coached one at the State University of New York College at Oneonta in addition to coaching two years at Delhi College (N.Y.), and Bennett is hopeful that he can network in the recruiting hotbed that is New York.
In sum, so far, so good. Here is part two of the exclusive interview with Bennett, a continuation of part one, published in yesterday’s issue of The Cavalier Daily:
Q: If a student came up to you and said, “What are you about as a coach?” what would be your response?
“I’ve been a part of rebuilding programs, which I think is very valuable. We’ve had to start and develop a system, we had to find a way to become successful over time in the program in the Big 10 conference [at Wisconsin], also in the Pac-10 Conference [at Washington State]. That’s what I’m about: trying to build programs that’ll reach success, be a part of touching something very special.
“I’m real competitive — that’s something that I guess at an early age has been in me. When there’s a challenge to compete against the best and be among the best and trying to be in there, that really motivates me. Also, I want to be a part of a program that not only does things right but that also stands for the right things. That’s so important. The image that your team projects, the relationship as a coach you have with your players, making an impact on young men, so that hopefully with basketball, after basketball there’s a difference from the time spent in your program.”
Q: Have you had a chance to walk around Grounds and meet some of the students?
“I walked around a little bit. Right now I’m buried in work and all that — players recruiting, returning phone calls, getting caught up that way — but the little bit I’ve driven around campus and been around, it just gets better and better. It’s absolutely beautiful, and there’s such good vibe and a good feel to it, and as the weather starts to turn nice, it’s a great time to be here. I definitely want to do that.
“When I got here, I met with the Student Council. I met with them and talked, really enjoyed that.”
Q: How have you gone about building relationships with the players currently on the team?
“You just have to say, ‘This is who I am,’ and over time they’ll get to know you. I’ve really appreciated how hard they’ve worked in the limited workouts [we’ve had], and I think that they’re coming in with an open mind, and they seem like good young men, but I think it’s important for them to get to know the staff as well. You’re going to be together. I know they use it a lot, calling it ‘family,’ but you are, it’s your second family, because you’re together so much, and you go through so many emotions together — the elation in victory, the dejection when you lose, the highs and lows. You’d better have good relationships and a strong bond that way, and hopefully that will continue to grow.
“They’ve for the [previous] two or three weeks been without a coach, and there’s been so much uncertainty: Who’s coming in? What are we going to do? They were sort of in a state of limbo, but right now there’s sort of a finality to that, and now we can move on.”
Q: How do you like your new staff of assistant coaches?
“That speaks volumes about the University of Virginia for Ritchie McKay, who’s been a head coach at a number of different places — New Mexico, Colorado State, Portland State, and Liberty. Having been a head coach for that many years, to want to come and be a part of something here, to leave Liberty and a good situation they had, because he’s excited about this team. I have a relationship that goes way back. He’s developed some ties in this area, and I think a guy with head coaching experience is always valuable. Ron Sanchez, who’s been with me six years with Washington State, has some New York ties, but one of the most loyal, servant-minded guys I’ve been around in terms of, [he] just wants to do what’s best for the program and serve the program. He’s been part of a turnaround, and has a great way with kids. I’ve had guys that are very relational, and he’s real good, real passionate about it. And, he knows me, and that’s important. He knows the kind of players I want, he knows what I’m about, there’s some familiarity there, so having him is a tremendous asset, and he’s a young go-getter — I say young, to you he’s old [laughs].
“And then to have Jason Williford, who’s from Richmond, played [at Virginia] as part of three NCAA Tournament teams, the Elite Eight, and won an NIT Championship in his time here. An assistant coach at Boston University, an assistant coach at American University — two excellent academic institutions — so understanding the right guys to recruit, great relationships with the people of U.Va., the alumni, and also the ties with the AAU coaches, the high school coaches, the D.C. area, so we can hit the ground running and really tap into those contacts.
“Having Brad Soucie [as the director of] basketball operations, who also played the game, was in the business world, coaching — there are so many facets of the daily operations that go on, that you need people who are so well-organized, have a mind for the game, and who are generally willing to do whatever it takes.”
Q: What is your background with Ritchie McKay?
“His brother played for the Green Bay Packers. He was a receiver — his brother actually played for the national championship with the Washington Huskie football team, and I had just come back from my first year in the NBA, and we just met each other and got to know each other. Ritchie — he followed my dad’s career — and my father was kind of a mentor to him in terms of the basketball. So we just developed a relationship way back then — this is the early ‘90s. And then I followed his career, he followed mine. It’s funny, we both went overseas; he went and played in New Zealand professionally after his college days, and I was over there after my NBA days as a player and coach, so we had some common ground. I coached in the Pac-10, and we had a good relationship over the years.”
Q: How’s your family settling in?
“Because they’re not here. I won’t get to see them — they don’t get here until late May. They’re back in Washington State, in Pullman. We just sold our house, which is good news.
“I have an 8 year-old daughter and a 6 year-old son, so they’re in kindergarten and second grade, so they’ll probably finish up. My wife will come up here at the end of April, soon, and look for a house, and hopefully we’ll find one and bring the kids out here.
“Right now, you’re so busy, it’s a lot of late nights that you’ve gotta get some things established. But it’ll be great to see them. That’s another reason why Virginia — it’s a good place for family, and that matters to me so much, to be able to raise your kids in a good place and enjoy that part of it. This is the complete package in terms of the things you’re looking for.”
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