Matt Gatens officially named to Iowa coaching staff

[Rifler]

for the job of assistant coach? truth. neither is your satisfaction. so we're even in the opinion category.

I never stated satisfaction,.. so you're still lagging.

 

[perryhawk]

of course you are right and i'm sure he will be a fantastic representative of the uofi and will help us to many, many wins. i would love nothing more than to see MG help us get to the sweet 16, but my fear is that as long as we make the dance, and tho we continually get bounced in the first weekend, everyone who matters will remain happy and the status will be quo'd. i really hope you are right and i am wrong and MG is the piece that gets us over that hump.

I haven’t read that anyone that matters, with the university and athletic department, is “happy” that we haven’t gotten further. I’ve read and seen players who were shocked or stunned with the loss in the first round. Don’t you think Fran has an ego? Clearly he’s VERY competitive (we’ve all seen his emotions on the sidelines and after games) and wants to win. You don’t think that coach doesn’t want a final 4, a national championship?

 

[BrewHawk]

Amongst other reasons, they were probably looking for a new shot doctor to replace Speraw.

Don’t see much of Drake. How would people describe their defense under DeVries?

Better than Iowa's, but it doesn't take much.

 

[hawksense]

Matt Gatens Named To Coaching Staff

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- University of Iowa head basketball coach Fran McCaffery has named former Hawkeye, Matt Gatens, as an assistant coach on his staff, replacing the position previously occupied by Kirk Speraw, who announced his retirement from coaching last month.

“We are excited to have Matt Gatens rejoin our program as an assistant coach,” said McCaffery. “Matt was a respected leader on my first two teams as Iowa’s head coach. I could tell right away that he exhibited all the necessary attributes to be a successful coach. Since transitioning to the coaching profession, Matt has gained valuable experience working on the staffs at Auburn and Drake. He will have an immediate impact on our program.”

“I am thrilled and truly honored to be rejoining the Iowa men’s basketball program,” Gatens said. “I have an incredible amount of respect for what coach McCaffery, his staff and players have built in Iowa City. It’s a privilege to now work for my former coach and someone who I have looked up to since he started here 12 years ago. I’m looking forward to representing Hawkeye Nation and competing for championships in a place that I call home. I can’t wait to proudly wear the Black and Gold once again.”

Gatens was a four-year starter for the Hawkeyes from 2009-12. His final two seasons were McCaffery’s first two as Iowa’s head coach. As a senior, Gatens and the Hawkeyes won seven more games than the previous year and advanced to postseason play (NIT Second Round) for the first time under McCaffery and the first time as a program in six seasons.

The Iowa City native was a two-time All-Big Ten selection, two-time team captain, two-time academic all-conference honoree, recipient of the 2012 Chris Street Award, and voted to the 2009 Big Ten All-Freshman team. Gatens amassed 1,635 points and 239 3-pointers ranking 10th and third, respectively, in Iowa history. In 128 career games, he averaged 12.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals per contest.

Gatens returns home as an assistant coach after spending the past four seasons (2019-22) on Drake’s coaching staff. He served as director of operations his first two years before being elevated to an assistant coach the last two seasons.

Gatens helped guide Drake to four straight 20-win seasons (95 combined wins), the 2019 Missouri Valley Conference regular season title, an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2021, and to two Missouri Valley Tournament championship game appearances.

Prior to joining the Bulldogs, Gatens was on the basketball staff at Auburn, where he assisted in travel, development, scouting, video and camps for the Southeastern Conference Champions. Gatens also aided in the development of the team’s guards, including All-SEC selections Bryce Brown and Jared Harper.

Following his Hawkeye career, Gatens played professionally in France, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine. He returned to the United States to play for the Iowa Energy in the NBA Development League, but he suffered a torn ACL just five quarters into the 2016-17 season, ending his playing career.

Gatens was named Iowa’s ‘Mr. Basketball’ and the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior at Iowa City High School. He led his squad to a 4A state title as a senior in 2008 and holds the City High record for career scoring.

Gatens and his wife, Erin, are the parents of a son, Nash, and daughter, Noa.

Welcome back, Gator! Hope to meet and talk to you sometime. You don’t hope for it, but I do.

 

[CookyMonster]

He ends up at Drake a couple more years and then back to Auburn as an assistant people would lose their shit on Fran. See Dean Oliver.

 

[TheTruthTheWholeTruth]

Better than Iowa's, but it doesn't take much.

Untrue

 

[SDHawkDoc]

Better than Iowa's, but it doesn't take much.

Per Kenpom through the end of 2021-22 season Iowa was an improved, but still not very good, 80th in adjusted D efficiency. Drake was a significantly worse 113.

 

[kceasthawk]

The thing maybe being glossed over in all of this is the Europe connection. The future of college ball for the vast amount of teams not in the top 1% of NIL madness should be looking over seas for prospects, with a mixture of U.S. preps and good fits from the portal. This is where schools like Iowa can get players who still value the college experience while having a real shot at finding talent outside of the mainstream.

Certainly Matt Painter is all over this. He always has some giant 7'3" player from across the pond somewhere....

 

[SDHawkDoc]

The thing maybe being glossed over in all of this is the Europe connection. The future of college ball for the vast amount of teams not in the top 1% of NIL madness should be looking over seas for prospects, with a mixture of U.S. preps and good fits from the portal. This is where schools like Iowa can get players who still value the college experience while having a real shot at finding talent outside of the mainstream.

I've been making the case for many years that Iowa needed to expand their international recruiting, which based on results to date is relatively limited. Gabe O is the best get that I can think of and he came more through the prep academy pipeline than a true overseas connection. South America, Australia/New Zealand, Africa and Europe all could have potential. Maybe tap into some of the former Iowa players who've spent time in some of these places. Dev Marble could clue the staff onto an up and coming Kazakh hoops prodigy

 

[HawkHoops80]

Certainly Matt Painter is all over this. He always has some giant 7'3" player from across the pond somewhere....

I thought it was well known that Painter has a lab underneath the engineering building at Purdue where he genetically clones 7 footers?

 

[hawkland14]

Had a 5 game stretch towards the end of his senior year where he shot 27-38 from 3, including 14-20 in back-to-back games against Indiana and Wisconsin.

The official start of Iowa and Fran turning the program around.

 

[HawCory]

Should have hired Elon Musk, imo.

 

[hooper56]

How good do you think Drake’s defense would look if they played a B1G schedule?

 

[hooper56]

I've been making the case for many years that Iowa needed to expand their international recruiting, which based on results to date is relatively limited. Gabe O is the best get that I can think of and he came more through the prep academy pipeline than a true overseas connection. South America, Australia/New Zealand, Africa and Europe all could have potential. Maybe tap into some of the former Iowa players who've spent time in some of these places. Dev Marble could clue the staff onto an up and coming Kazakh hoops prodigy

Peter Jok?

 

[hawksense]

I haven’t read that anyone that matters, with the university and athletic department, is “happy” that we haven’t gotten further. I’ve read and seen players who were shocked or stunned with the loss in the first round. Don’t you think Fran has an ego? Clearly he’s VERY competitive (we’ve all seen his emotions on the sidelines and after games) and wants to win. You don’t think that coach doesn’t want a final 4, a national championship?

And for God’s sake, we won the f’ing B1G tourney championship!! I’m sure no one celebrated that I!(sarcasm)

My philosophy is and always will be, do well in the Big Dance.

We had a great regular season. Plenty to be happy about.

The B1G tourney has given us something more to “fail” in and give focus to said failure. I was a fan of it when it started, but now I’d rather not win it. Save the legs for the Dance.

This year, when Indiana came out all cocky in the first few, I was like, f those guys! Beat the crap out of them! And we did win. It was glorious. But, I also knew what I’d always feared might come into play. A quick turnaround and compromised energy. Yes, Richmond had it, too. But they were already home. Zero travel. We still should’ve won and 7 out of 10 we do.

Point is, we had a good season with a championship to boot. In my view, it replaces a Sweet 16. Doesn’t mean I don’t want to get to the SS or EE or FF. But FFS, be happy about what we did accomplish. And it’s not like the rest of the B1G ran all over the field.

 

[SDHawkDoc]

Peter Jok?

He went to school in Des Moines from the time he was a kid. He was as much an in state recruit as any other Iowa high schooler. So, no.

 

[SDHawkDoc]

Peter Jok?

Or maybe you were referring to Pete potentially being an overseas recruiter for the Hawks? In which case I rescind my previous response. So how about it Pete? Can you find a potential superstar in Europe and land him for Fran?

 

[BBptg5]

Good points!

not when the points he is making is a major stretch

 

[perryhawk]

not when the points he is making is a major stretch

Which points were those?

 

[BBHawk]

Welcome aboard, Matt. Now get out there and reel in some great recruits!

😉

 

[hawksense]

Or maybe you were referring to Pete potentially being an overseas recruiter for the Hawks? In which case I rescind my previous response. So how about it Pete? Can you find a potential superstar in Europe and land him for Fran?

Um, Aaron White seems to know the international landscape pretty well. Might wanna think about tapping into that experience. Eye opening talk with Tom on the podcast. Proud of what he’s accomplished.

 

[herkhatescy]

YOU ARE A PARTY POOPER - YOUR OPINIONS ARE WORTHLESS.

Your opinions are more worthless, ROOKIE.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

We did it! We just guaranteed ourselves a future national championship!!!!

 

[Tylerl_28]

Peter Jok?

He messed up last summer when he came to town to talk to Fran about being a grad asst.

Fran’s not going to trust him for awhile.

 

[monoman3232]

You mean like this season where the point guard will not be from Iowa, the 2 guard is from Indiana and the center is foreign. This Iowa team looks a lot like they always have, heavily Iowa, and heavily Midwest with OOS recruits.

The state of Iowa is now producing far better basketball players than at any time in state history. Same with football. This is some change that has worked in Iowa's favor.

For football I'd agree, but the basketball talent in the state is about as bad as I can remember.

 

[topherchris20]

He messed up last summer when he came to town to talk to Fran about being a grad asst.

Fran’s not going to trust him for awhile.

Care to elaborate?

 

[Tylerl_28]

Care to elaborate?

Had an early morning meeting with Fran and no-showed him because he got another DUI the night before.

 

[The Deplorable Sleeping Dog]

Had an early morning meeting with Fran and no-showed him because he got another DUI the night before.

Not smart when interviewing for a position.

 

[InsaneHawkJJP]

D

Not smart when interviewing for a position.

DUI is never smart.

 

[nbanflfactory]

i hate to be a party pooper, but this hire doesn't inspire me at all. recruiting (and NIL) is the name of the game and i don't see where MG is going to move that needle. he has age as a positive but beyond that he's unproven at best and doesn't expand our geological footprint.

i also wish we would get away from the whole 'keep it in the family' mindset Iowa has. but maybe thats how it works for young assistants... someone has to give them a chance i guess.

hope i'm way off and he makes a positive, obvious impact.

Nil is the easiest way to expand footprint

 

[HawkRugged17]

 

[cidhawkeye]

Great hire

 

[BBHawk]

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Fun watch.