LAS VEGAS โ NBA Summer League is another reminder of how strong Arizonaโs presence is in the association.
Besides the seven former Wildcats playing for their respective teams, including the most recent draftees in Bennedict Mathurin (Pacers), Dalen Terry (Bulls) and Christian Koloko (Raptors), several coaches who were a part of the Lute Olson era at the UA are taking part in NBA Summer League at Thomas and Mack Center.
Assistant coaches such as Joseph Blair (Wizards) and Damon Stoudamire (Celtics) have sat near their teamsโ bench during games. Tucson native Matt Brase, a grandson of the late Olson, is assisting the Trail Blazers this summer.
Meanwhile, UA alumnus and Salpointe Catholic High School product Jesse Mermuys, who was the director of basketball operations at Arizona from 2006-08, has been running the show as head coach of the Orlando Magic Summer League team, leading top overall pick Paolo Banchero. The Magic are 2-0 to begin Summer League play, with an opening win over the Rockets and a double-overtime, sudden-death triumph over the Kings on Saturday.
โItโs awesome. Iโm so fortunate that I get to do this for a living. Itโs the greatest job, and when you have that type of environment โ itโs a grind obviously, with travel and all of that โ this is why we do it,โ Mermuys said. โGames like this, where thereโs great energy and you get to compete at a high level, Iโm just super grateful that I get to be a part of it.โ
Since his last season at Arizona in 2008, Mermuys has coached with the Nuggets, Raptors, Rockets, Lakers, Kings and now the Magic.
The Star spoke to Mermuys at Thomas and Mack Center about his tenure as an NBA assistant coach, his time at the UA, Olsonโs impact, missing Tucson, and the current state of Arizona hoops:
How were you able to get to this point, where youโve had so many coaching gigs?
A: โMan, thatโs such a loaded question, I canโt answer that in 30 seconds. But blood, sweat and tears. Itโs tough โ really tough โ but Iโve persevered. Now Iโm just going to keep going. But itโs tough.โ
Several years later, how do you reflect on your time at Arizona?
A: โI loved my time at Arizona, and if I had a little momentum with my career, I wouldโve tried to get involved in that job. I love the University of Arizona. Itโs my home. I grew up in Tucson, I watched Coach Olson and he was my positive role model. I got to coach with him, which is incredible. I will always love Arizona.โ
What was it like being an assistant coach under Olson, especially as a Tucson native and UA fan?
A: โIncredible. That guy was presidential, he was an unbelievable person, coach, teacher โ everything. He was everything for Tucson, Arizona. I had a rough go as a kid, with a lot of tough obstacles in my family life, and to have that role model and guy who I looked up to and aspired to be like, it was wonderful.โ
What were those obstacles?
A: โI just had a rough go. I donโt want to speak on that, but I just had a rough go.โ
You were a part of Olsonโs staff during his final years at Arizona; what was that point in time like for you?
A: โIt was tough, because Arizona basketball was Coach Olson. Thatโs how you knew it and why I wanted to be there. Then he was going through that stint of health problems. Coach (Kevin) OโNeil had to take over, so it was a tough time period to not have Coach Olson on the sideline.โ
How do you evaluate the plethora of Olson disciples currently in the NBA?
A: โItโs unbelievable, because we have the NBA family, but then thereโs the Arizona-NBA family. We have so many coaches and players. Iโm finishing up shootaround this morning, Matt Brase walks in with the Portland Trail Blazers, so I say whatโs up to him. Richard Jefferson walks in, because heโs got to do TV, so Iโm saying whatโs up to him. Bret Brielmaier, I coached him at Arizona, and now heโs on our staff. Itโs like this big Arizona-NBA family, and itโs wonderful. โฆ (Olson) was the glue. That era of success just brought all these guys together. I can go on and on. We all still talk to each other. That level of excellence that he provided, it provided for all of us in that era. He was just a great teacher and kept us going.โ
What did you learn from Olson?
A: โHe had an incredible attention to detail. He saw below the surface on the fundamentals and the details of the game. His players played like that and his coaches coached like that. It gave me a new set of eyes to be able to coach basketball in a way thatโs different. Youโre picking up things that are kind of hidden. The way Iโd describe it: the things he was seeing, it was all 10 guys on the floor and where they were all the time. He could freeze it and tell everyone whoโs doing what. When you see that and learn from that, as a young coach, I aspired to be like that.โ
Why did you become a coach?
A: โObviously I wanted to play. I realized fairly quickly in junior college that I wasnโt good enough to move on. I love the game of basketball. It was the one constant in my life, and I always loved it, because it gave me stability. As soon as I realized I couldnโt play anymore, I went to coaching.โ
Whatโs the one thing you miss most about Tucson?
A: โThatโs a tough question. I love Tucson. I love โEegeeโs,โ I love โSausage Deliโ and I love โBagginโsโ โ thereโs so many places. But I donโt think itโs the food. Itโs probably like the desert after the monsoon, that was incredible. I miss the sunsets, sunrises โ I love Tucson. I always read my kids the โSaguaro Cactus Hotelโ book and โThree Little Javelinasโ instead of โThree Little Pigs.โ Those are our favorite books in the house.โ
Whatโs your assessment of Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd after one season?
A: โI think itโs in good hands. They were rocking and rolling. He did such a nice job. Coaching (former Gonzaga guard) Jalen (Suggs), I would ask him about (Lloyd) and got to know Tommy a little bit more by talking with Jalen, because he was very close with him. I think (Lloyd) is doing a great job and I know with the guys he kept on the staff, like (associate head coach) Jack Murphy, thereโs great continuity there. To have that as your first year, itโs only up from here.โ
