LAS VEGAS — NBA Summer League is another reminder of how strong Arizona’s 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 teams’ 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.
“It’s awesome. I’m so fortunate that I get to do this for a living. It’s the greatest job, and when you have that type of environment — it’s a grind obviously, with travel and all of that — this is why we do it,” Mermuys said. “Games like this, where there’s great energy and you get to compete at a high level, I’m just super grateful that I get to be a part of it.”
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, Olson’s impact, missing Tucson, and the current state of Arizona hoops:
How were you able to get to this point, where you’ve had so many coaching gigs?
A: “Man, that’s such a loaded question, I can’t answer that in 30 seconds. But blood, sweat and tears. It’s tough — really tough — but I’ve persevered. Now I’m just going to keep going. But it’s tough.”
Several years later, how do you reflect on your time at Arizona?
A: “I loved my time at Arizona, and if I had a little momentum with my career, I would’ve tried to get involved in that job. I love the University of Arizona. It’s 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.”
What was it like being an assistant coach under Olson, especially as a Tucson native and UA fan?
A: “Incredible. That guy was presidential, he was an unbelievable person, coach, teacher — 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.”
What were those obstacles?
A: “I just had a rough go. I don’t want to speak on that, but I just had a rough go.”
You were a part of Olson’s staff during his final years at Arizona; what was that point in time like for you?
A: “It was tough, because Arizona basketball was Coach Olson. That’s how you knew it and why I wanted to be there. Then he was going through that stint of health problems. Coach (Kevin) O’Neil had to take over, so it was a tough time period to not have Coach Olson on the sideline.”
How do you evaluate the plethora of Olson disciples currently in the NBA?
A: “It’s unbelievable, because we have the NBA family, but then there’s the Arizona-NBA family. We have so many coaches and players. I’m finishing up shootaround this morning, Matt Brase walks in with the Portland Trail Blazers, so I say what’s up to him. Richard Jefferson walks in, because he’s got to do TV, so I’m saying what’s up to him. Bret Brielmaier, I coached him at Arizona, and now he’s on our staff. It’s like this big Arizona-NBA family, and it’s wonderful. … (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.”
What did you learn from Olson?
A: “He 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 that’s different. You’re picking up things that are kind of hidden. The way I’d 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 who’s doing what. When you see that and learn from that, as a young coach, I aspired to be like that.”
Why did you become a coach?
A: “Obviously I wanted to play. I realized fairly quickly in junior college that I wasn’t 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 couldn’t play anymore, I went to coaching.”
What’s the one thing you miss most about Tucson?
A: “That’s a tough question. I love Tucson. I love ‘Eegee’s,’ I love ‘Sausage Deli’ and I love ‘Baggin’s’ — there’s so many places. But I don’t think it’s the food. It’s probably like the desert after the monsoon, that was incredible. I miss the sunsets, sunrises — I love Tucson. I always read my kids the ‘Saguaro Cactus Hotel’ book and ‘Three Little Javelinas’ instead of ‘Three Little Pigs.’ Those are our favorite books in the house.”
What’s your assessment of Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd after one season?
A: “I think it’s 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, there’s great continuity there. To have that as your first year, it’s only up from here.”
