UMSV hires Brett Gunning to lead men’s basketball program

The University of Mount Saint Vincent Department of Athletics has announced Brett Gunning — a 26-year coaching veteran in the NCAA and NBA — as the new head of the men’s basketball team.

Gunning was also named the athletic department’s senior associate director for athletics, according to a press release from UMSV.

“I am honored to step into this role,” Gunning said in a statement. “And look forward to building a program that reflects the university’s values and serves our student-athletes and the Bronx community with pride.”

Before coming to UMSV, Gunning also worked to help kids off the court. In 2018, he founded nonprofit On the Right Path, the release said. The organization aims to guide underserved youth through education, mentorship and basketball skill development, according to On the Right Path’s website.

On the Right Path also looks to combine life lessons with basketball basics. It starts by sharing a book series with kids that focuses on six life skills: loving others, being unselfish, staying healthy and strong, showing respect, showing forgiveness, and having fun. Values are further instilled through a 12-week interactive curriculum and also an online classroom, according to On the Right Path’s website.

Gunning, originally from Philadelphia, started with the NBA in 2008 as a director of player development for the Houston Rockets, where he helped improve player performance by using video analysis and on-court skill development, according to the release. He was promoted to assistant coach three years later, before joining the Orlando Magic for three seasons.

Gunning returned to the Houston Rockets after that, where he stayed until 2020. During the 2017-18 season, the Rockets won their highest record in history at 65 games and advanced to the Western Conference finals, the release said.

Before the NBA, Gunning spent seven seasons with the Villanova Wildcats, first as an assistant coach and then an assistant head coach under Head Coach Jay Wright. Gunning helped recruit and develop teams that made the NCAA tournament four years in a row, and reached the Sweet 16 tournament three times.

His experience in coaching goes back to 1994, where Gunning worked as an assistant coach under Wright at Hofstra University, who said in a statement Gunning was one of the best teachers of the game he’s worked with.

“He brings a rare blend of basketball knowledge, leadership and genuine care for young people,” Wright stated. “Gunning will create a culture built on accountability, togetherness and daily improvement — exactly the environment student-athletes thrive in. His impact will be felt immediately, not just in wins, but in the growth, confidence and experience of every young man he coaches.”