Aug. 29, 2008

In this week's Nova Notebook entry, by Villanova director of media relations Mike Sheridan, we visit with outgoing men's basketball associate head coach Brett Gunning on the eve of his departure from Villanova to a position as director of player development with the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association.

At the end of the most hectic travel month on the coaching calendar in late July, Brett Gunning was looking forward to some down time. After traversing the country attending the various tournaments and camps that are a bedrock of college basketball recruiting, the specter of quiet days leading up to the start of the fall semester on Aug. 25 was most welcome.

And then, on the final day of July as he was climbing into a rental car to head to another gym, Gunning's cell phone rang.

The Rockets were on the other end and informed him that they had spoken to head coach Jay Wright and received permission to speak to Gunning about a position they were seeking to fill. A telephone interview was arranged for the following day. At its conclusion, Gunning wasn't sure if this interaction was headed anywhere.

"I thought it went well," he says, "but I didn't really know."

Houston told him they would be in touch and Gunning resumed planning his vacation. Two hours later, a Rockets official was on the telephone again, inviting Gunning to the team's headquarters for an in-person interview. It was scheduled during the first week in August and it was a two-part session. The first included a meeting with general manager Daryl Morely, head coach Rick Adelman and other members of the Rockets' basketball staff. In the afternoon, Gunning was asked to direct two players in a workout observed by the basketball staff.

"It was pretty intimidating," Gunning says, "but when it ended I felt pretty good about it."

At day's end, Gunning hopped a plane back to Philadelphia. Team officials informed him that several of them were headed to Beijing to watch Rockets star Yao Ming in the Olympic Games so that it might be a few weeks before a decision on the vacancy was made. Less than one week later, Gunning was offered the position.

"It just happened so fast," he says. "One minute I was planning some time off and the next I'm shuttling back and forth to Houston."

That Gunning's next destination is the NBA surprises no one in the Villanova basketball family. As a young assistant to Wright at Hofstra, Gunning often made the trek from Long Island into Manhattan to attend New York Knicks games in the mid-1990s. It was a stirring time to be at Madison Square Garden, as the Knicks staged deep playoff runs against the likes of the Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, and, yes, those very same Houston Rockets.

"The excitement was incredible," he says now, "and I was hooked."

Gunning has followed the league closely ever since. At the end of his stint at Hofstra, Speedy Claxton and Norman Richardson played in the NBA. He spoke often to both former Pride standouts about life in the league. Later, he took time in the off-season to work out Malik Allen, Tim Thomas, Randy Foye, and Kyle Lowry when they returned to campus on the Main Line. He was an apt listener when longtime NBA players and staff colleagues at Villanova, Ed Pinckney and Doug West discussed daily life in the league. Then he also spent hours absorbing all he could at coaching clinics and other functions from Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown while he worked for the Philadelphia 76ers.

"In the NBA you're working with the best players in the world," he states. "Every night is a challenge. One night you're playing the Lakers, the next night it's Phoenix and then it's San Antonio."

As the Wildcats' profile grew nationally in recent years, Gunning, Wright's longest serving assistant, was not lacking for opportunities. Billy Donovan had interest in adding him to his staff at the University of Florida in 2007. Last spring, Gunning interviewed for the head coaching position at Marist College before withdrawing his name from consideration.

"Honestly, it was just hard to envision myself at a college other than Villanova," he says. "This is such a special place."

As opportunities arose, Gunning discussed them with Wright. In this instance there was quick agreement among the two that this was a unique chance unlike anything that came across his desk previously. In Houston, Gunning will be responsible for developing and working with the Rockets' youngest players. His assignment includes plenty of on-court teaching and video evaluation. He will be with the club at home and on the road.

"It's pretty much all day, every day, basketball in the gym," explains Gunning. "It's before practice, after practice, watching film with guys. For the guys who play a lot, it's repetition of game shots. For the guys who don't play as much, it's working with them to refine their games so that they are ready to produce when their opportunity comes."

Often such positions are the first step on a track towards becoming a fully vested NBA assistant coach. It is noteworthy that Gunning's immediate predecessor in this spot left to become an assistant coach with the Knicks.

For all of the enthusiasm he feels about his new track, there is a measure of ambivalence in this for Gunning. He has been connected to Villanova for most of his life dating to his days as a Malvern Prep student running errands for Wright and former head coach Rollie Massimino. Then there is the tie to Wright, whom he has served for the last 14 college seasons as an assistant coach, not to mention a seasoned roster of current Wildcats he has played a large role in helping recruit and develop.

"It's funny," he says with a chuckle, "this was probably as excited as I have been going into a new season about a team since I began my coaching career. I guess that's when a change comes - when you are most excited about a season, that's when you end up putting a `For Sale' sign on your house. But I really was looking forward to this year, particularly about what this senior class can accomplish. Dwayne (Anderson), Dante (Cunningham), Shane (Clark) and Frank (Tchuisi) came in on a great team (in 2005-06). Everyone says, `well, they were freshmen on a great team.' They have earned where they are at now.

"This team has had a great off-season and I'm going to be watching as a fan."

Gunning has already forewarned his new colleague in Houston responsible for taping college games for scouting purposes.

"I told him, I'll do whatever I can for you but I'm going to need a DVD of the Villanova games on my desk about 30 minutes after they end," he says.

One outgrowth of the interview process was a realization that Villanova's success has not gone unnoticed at the next level.

"One of the big things that hit me about this process was the respect there was in the Rockets organization for the Villanova program," states Gunning. "They worked Randy Foye out before the 2006 draft and were very impressed. They've seen firsthand Kyle Lowry's toughness and heart because he plays in the same division. And they appreciate the kind of basketball Coach Wright's teams play."

Of all the lessons he has learned at Wright's side over the last two-plus decades, Gunning says one stands above the rest and it transcends basketball.

"This is hard to explain, and people who haven't been around him might not believe it, but I can honestly say I've never seen him down," Gunning states. "It's not like we haven't had some tough moments where things looked bleak. We have. Yet just when you think he's earned the right to be down and everyone else should be down, he's up. When you see a leader bounce back like that, it inspires everyone around him.

"By being up, you really can influence a lot of people in a positive way. That's probably the biggest thing he has taught me."

Gunning takes with him a treasure trove of memories. He clearly recalls nearly leaping as high as he ever has when Mike Nardi drained a long three late in the second half of Villanova's 67-64 victory over No. 1 Connecticut on Feb. 13, 2006 at the Wachovia Center. There were also fond thoughts of last season's late rally that culminated with NCAA Tournament victories over Clemson and Siena. Mostly, though, it's the people of Villanova that loom largest as he closes up the final cardboard boxes and moves out of his Davis Center office.

"When you can leave a place and know that you have great friendships and relationships with people there is nothing better," he says. "No distance can break the bonds of friendships. Even though I'm leaving, I'm doing so with great friendships and that has me feeling good."