Jan. 7, 2008
The Nova Notebook, by Villanova director of media relations Mike Sheridan, appears weekly beginning in September through February with monthly updates in the off-season with features on the men's basketball program. This week we spend a few minutes with Villanova Associate Head Coach Brett Gunning.
In many ways, Brett Gunning has been connected with Villanova Basketball for the better part of his life. Save for a nine-year stint spent learning the nuances of the coaching craft from former Wildcat head coach Rollie Massimino as an undergraduate at UNLV and as a young assistant to Jay Wright for seven years at Hofstra, he has been both a keen observer of, and key staffer for, the Wildcats.
Now in his seventh year on Wright's Villanova staff - and 14th overall working under the coach he came to know while working Massimino's summer basketball camps in the 1980s - Gunning carries a unique perspective on the program as it moves through the 2007-08 season.
Twice now, Gunning, 35, has been part of a basketball revival as a part of the coaching staff. It happened first on Long Island, where the Pride became an America East power in the first years of this decade. Then, Gunning joined Wright when the latter accepted the Villanova head coaching spot on March 27, 2001.
"We went through our tough times here, that's for sure," he says, noting in particular the star-crossed 2002-03 season that began with rankings in several top 20 polls and ended with a six-game losing skid that included a telephone access code violation that left the squad with five scholarship players for the final regular season game against Pittsburgh and opening round contests in the BIG EAST and National Invitation Tournaments.
Yet there was a bond forged in those days when the clouds seemed to have obscured the promised sunlight delivered by a nationally decorated recruiting class that included such talents as Randy Foye, Allan Ray, Curtis Sumpter and Jason Fraser.
"We went through the adversity together," he says. "There was disappointment but everyone kept a positive attitude and never stopped working."
In those days and others that had come before them, Gunning watched intently as Wright arrived to work each day. Even when the obstacles seemed most formidable - and at Hofstra the staff was trying to invigorate a program that was so far below the radar of the eastern basketball establishment that the magazine of the same name neglected to include it on a chart of all the New York area schools in a 1994 issue - the head coach kept looking forward.
"It's probably the best lesson I've learned from him," says Gunning of Wright. "Every day, he maintains a great attitude. I know that it's something we always talk about it but it works because Jay lives what he preaches. He brings it with him every day to practice. That's something I am always aware of and really try to be appreciative of.
"When you are in a position of leadership, people look to you. We are dealing with young men from 18-to-22. It's a long season with highs and lows. He has great perspective and always comes in with a positive attitude. It becomes infectious and that's something I don't want to ever lose sight of."
As Villanova's fortunes have risen, so too has Gunning's stature. He was promoted to associate head coach in 2005 when current Rutgers head coach Fred Hill departed to join the Scarlet Knights. And while much of his work is done quietly, those behind the scenes know well what he contributes.
"Brett is known in basketball circles as one of the top assistant coaches in the country," notes Wright. "He maintains a low profile but in the NBA and college basketball he is greatly respected for his work."
Gunning has been a constant in Villanova's recruiting efforts over his seven seasons. He was part of the group that helped bring the likes of Foye, Ray, Fraser and Sumpter to the Main Line. In recent years he helped build the foundation for relationships with the likes of Dante Cunningham, Shane Clark, Corey Fisher and Corey Stokes.
He is also viewed as a superior teacher, having helped hone the skills of Villanova's perimeter and interior players through the seasons. And he is a trusted strategic resource for Wright during games.
At the conclusion of last season, Gunning's name began to be linked to head coaching positions. The Malvern Prep product was a candidate at Iona and Florida coach Billy Donovan expressed an interest in bringing Gunning to Gainesville as part of his staff. It would surprise no one on the Villanova staff if those kinds of overtures grew in the next few years.
"I have always tried not to worry about next year or the year after," he says. "I'm not someone who sits down and says I have to be here in three years or there in five years. This is a very unique business. You can never take anything for granted. It's not the kind of thing that you can very easily plan.
"This is a great situation for me and has been for seven years. I'm working in my back yard in a great program that I grew up following. I look up in the stands at home games and see my grandfather. I'm around family and friends I have known for a long time. That's only going to last for a certain period of time in this business and I try to enjoy it. If there comes a time for me to look at another opportunity, I will feel very lucky to have had all of this."
At the moment, there is little time to mull what might lie ahead in the years to come. Gunning and the rest of the staff are working diligently to mold a new generation of Wildcats into complete Villanova players.
"We have a lot of work to do," he says. "Our staff understands that. It's part of being a young team. But as a coach what excites you is the togetherness this group has. The young guys have so much respect for Dante, Shane, Dwayne (Anderson) and Scottie (Reynolds). They are learning from the older guys and aren't worried about themselves. We've got great chemistry and that's probably the most impressive thing to me."
Coming from one who has seen the highs and lows of growth in the last seven years, those sound like encouraging words.
