NBA Q&A: Alvin Gentry

Courtesy of Bob Young

THI: Are you going to wait for another head coaching opportunity in the NBA, or would you consider a job as an assistant or even as a college coach?

AG: “I’ve spent some time thinking about all three of those, really. Hey, I’ve got nothing but time!

“Obviously, I’d prefer to be a head coach. That would be my goal. I had eight really good years here (in Phoenix). Obviously, this season wasn’t what I thought it would be.

“But I made friendships that will last forever. The thing is, there are some really good people affiliated with the Suns organization, and not just people on the basketball side.

“What happened this season, I won’t let it tarnish what happened over eight years here.

“But I do want to be a head coach, if that’s a possibility.”

THI: What if it isn’t a possibility right away?

AG: “There are some other areas I’ve explored. I’ve done NBA TV a couple of times, and that’s something I may want to pursue.

“But I would say my heart is in coaching. My heart says I want to be a head coach, and given the right opportunity and the right circumstances, I’ve shown that I can have success.”

THI: How do you think your former assistant, Dan Majerle, will work out as head coach at Grand Canyon?

AG: “I think he’ll be great, especially in the college game. I think his teams will mirror his personality and you’ll see a team that’s hard-nosed, plays extremely hard.

“And I think he’ll put a great staff together. Obviously, I think he’s going to have to explore the junior colleges and try to find some good players that he can develop, and I think he’ll be really good at doing that.”

THI: Did you discuss a spot on his staff with him?

AG: “Nah, we never talked about that at all. He’s got a lot of contacts, and he’ll get good people, and his teams will be fun to watch.

“They could be like Florida Gulf Coast (which is in the Sweet 16 six years after joining Division I and in only its second year of eligibility for the NCAA Tournament).

“I think Grand Canyon could definitely be something like that.”

THI: Did you do an NCAA Tournament bracket?

AG: “I did. It’s in the trash now. I had Wisconsin in the final eight. They shoot the ball well; they’re a smart team. They got athletically overpowered. I had Georgetown going deep, too.

“You know what I’ve come to realize, though? When you have a really successful program, you’re playing freshmen and sophomores. Then it hurts you in the tournament when you play teams with a lot of good junior and senior players.

“That’s why a team like Wichita State, LaSalle and Florida Gulf Coast are so dangerous. Collectively, and chemistry-wise, they’re better teams and, believe me, they have a chip on their shoulder when they play Duke or North Carolina or Kansas.”

THI: So who are you pulling for now, Kansas?

AG: “I’m still a Kansas guy. I was a little nervous about them in the first half, but they had a great second half against Carolina.

“And you can’t help but pull for that Florida Gulf Coast team. It’s the nature of this time of the year, really. There’s always some team that rises to the top.”

THI: Do you ever watch the Suns?

AG: “You know, I don’t. Just for a lot of reasons, but am I concerned about the players there? Yeah. Goran Dragic, I love that kid like a son, really. I worry about him sometimes. J.D. (Jared Dudley) is another guy like that.

“It’s hard for me because, as individuals, I hate to see them go through something like this.”