Griz Greats: The Coaching Tree

Pat Kennedy was the head basketball coach at the University of Montana for two seasons after he had been the head coach at Iona, Florida State, and DePaul. He is an interesting figure in the University of Montana men's basketball coaching lineage because he did not descend from Jud Heathcote or anyone else that had been the head coach at the University of Montana before. When he left Missoula, he became the head coach at Towson University for seven seasons. ESPN Missoula's Ryan Tootell and Colter Nuanez talked with Kennedy about what he learned from the legendary Jim Valvano, his days in the ACC, what it was like recruiting Vince Carter, and how he ended up in Missoula.

Show Notes

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Pat Kennedy was the head basketball coach at the University of Montana for two seasons after he had been the head coach at Iona, Florida State, and DePaul. He is an interesting figure in the University of Montana men's basketball coaching lineage because he did not descend from Jud Heathcote or anyone else that had been the head coach at the University of Montana before. When he left Missoula, he became the head coach at Towson University for seven seasons. ESPN Missoula's Ryan Tootell and Colter Nuanez talked with Kennedy about what he learned from the legendary Jim Valvano, his days in the ACC, what it was like recruiting Vince Carter, and how he ended up in Missoula.

What is Griz Greats: The Coaching Tree?

Griz Greats: The Coaching Tree brought to you by Blackfoot Communications, Berkshire Hathaway, and Stockman's Bar is an interview series hosted by Ryan Tootell and Colter Nuanez from ESPN Missoula. University of Montana basketball has an illustrious reputation for producing some of the best college basketball coaches that the game has ever seen, and it can be traced back to legendary Michigan State head men's basketball coach Jud Heathcote, who got his first college head coaching job at the University of Montana. The coaches that have followed him have gone on to make their own significant marks in college basketball at places like Stanford, Old Dominion, and Utah to name a few. Ryan and Colter sat down with every Montana head men's basketball coach who followed Jud Heathcote to talk about what makes Montana basketball and Missoula special. Bonus episodes include interviews with some former Montana basketball players and other significant influences on the program.