‘Among the greatest of the best’ Why former and current USA Basketball greats regard Gonzaga’s Mark Few so highly
“Among the greatest of the best”: Why Mark Few of Gonzaga is regarded so highly by previous and current USA Basketball greats
LAS VEGAS—At the end of the fourth and final practice of the United States Olympic training camp in Las Vegas, it’s challenging to comprehend what’s being said on the court from a distance of around thirty yards, but it’s quite easy to understand what’s happening near the finish.
The team will take a half-hour rest and begin preparing for an exhibition match versus Canada the following day. At UNLV’s Mendenhall Center, there is currently just enough time to practice zone defense before things come to an end.
Any prominent U.S. coaching staff member would be qualified to oversee this activity based on their credentials.
With the exception of those three, this facility on July 9 has excellent resumes almost everywhere. Mike Krzyzewski, the legendary coach of Duke, is seated courtside next to Brad Stevens, the general manager of the team and a former coach of the Butler and Boston Celtics. Jim Boeheim is there in the stands, having spent his whole 47-year career at Syracuse living and dying under the 2-3 zone.
But now, the favorites to win the gold medal at the Olympics are yielding to Gonzaga’s Mark Few in need of a quick but useful lesson.
Few moves enduring all-stars, international basketball icons, and potential Hall of Famers around the court like chess pieces with one hand while holding a basketball in the other. In an instant, he’s passing the ball to Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, and Steph Curry. He gives his instructions to Jrue Holiday and Devin Booker during the next pause in action.
Few remarked, “Just amazing people and humble; despite the amazing success they’ve had, the amount of humility they have is amazing and inspiring.” “But they also enjoy exchanging ideas.”
And assist their colleague when they need a practice dummy to help teach zone defense, just like Spoelstra did.
If there was a true outlier in a coaching room with this caliber of background, intelligence, and expertise, it would be obvious. Nobody on the coaching staff or in the USA Basketball contingent is allowing that hypothesis to acquire hold, despite Few’s best attempts at self-deprecation.
Spoelstra praised him as “a brilliant basketball coach.” “Among the greatest in this industry.”
•••
How is Few getting along with the other coaches, executives, and dignitaries from USA Basketball that he will be spending the next three weeks at the Olympics in Paris?
Reviews have been overwhelmingly good thus far.
“It’s my guy,” Lue declared. From a distance, I was unaware of (Few), yet he’s among the funniest people I’ve ever encountered. We spoke with each other at least once or twice a week during the season, and I spent the five weeks we spent together last year hanging out with them.
When the comedy show’s pilot episode will air has not yet been announced.
Lue remarked, “So (Mosley) said we have to come out with a show called ‘Lue and Few.'” “He said the show would be awesome, but (Few) is one funny guy, dude.”
Few’s favorite competitive outlet when he’s not coaching basketball is pickleball, so the Gonzaga coach has been relentless in attempting to arrange a match with Spoelstra. However, his efforts have been in vain.
He enjoys flyfishing and skiing behind his family’s boats on the lake when he’s not at school. Pickleball to some extent, Spoelstra remarked. He’s made a few attempts to drag me outside, but I’m not giving in. It is an honor to call him a friend, and I enjoy spending time with him and learning about his passions.
The veteran Miami coach has tried his hand at pickleball and lives close to Naples, Florida, the pickleball capital of the world. However, rumors about Few’s ability have quickly circulated among USA Basketball insiders, which has probably sapped any motivation Spoelstra might have had to hit the court on a day off in France.
Spoelstra declared, “He’s too good, he’s skilled.” “I also keep in mind that this is sort of the CrossFit paradigm in the present day. As a result, many injuries are occurring.
Few’s relationship with USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill has been aided by shared interests. The two-time Duke national champion and seven-time NBA All-Star loves wakesurfing as a kind of escape. He frequently visits lakes in the Orlando, Florida, area during his free time from his several administrative roles.
Similar to this, Few makes time for boat rides and swimming whenever he returns to his Hayden Lake vacation house, fitting in vacations in between summer recruiting excursions, team camps, and Gonzaga’s offseason training. Hill and Few have been texting back and forth about their wakesurfing adventures since they spent two months together at the FIBA World Cup last summer. They have shared stories, pictures, and videos of their trips.
Few is fantastic, remarked Hill. During the NCAA Tournament and March Madness, I got to know him a little bit. Naturally, there are a lot of things going on when he’s working, but he’s amazing to spend six and a half weeks with and go on this journey with like we did last year. I adore Mark Few so much.
“He’s a truly unique individual.”
•••
On the surface, Few’s lack of professional experience can be seen as a disadvantage given that the NBA players that make up the 12-man American squad all have large contracts, devoted fan bases, and, occasionally, enormous egos.
Kerr, Spoelstra, and Lue are adept at handling Xs and Os, but they may be even more skilled at resolving personnel conflicts or locker-room dramas, which many believe to be the only thing standing between this all-star U.S. team and Olympic gold.
Instead of hiring a fourth NBA coach who might not be very valuable given what Kerr, Spoelstra, and Lue already bring to the table, the U.S. staff prefers to save one spot on the bench for a successful college coach in the hopes of getting an alternative perspective.
Because Few plays zone defense more frequently during a 32-game college season than the other three do during an 82-game NBA schedule, the Olympic squad deferred to him in that situation.
“He has a unique perspective and is familiar with the game,” Hill remarked. “He’s a college guy with all these NBA people, so he’s not insecure.”
Boeheim filled Few’s position by working under Krzyzewski as a collegiate assistant during three Olympic cycles, all of which resulted in gold medals for the United States. Boeheim, who won 1,015 games in his tenure at Syracuse, trained for the Olympics and sat next to legendary NBA coach P.J. Carlesimo was a 1992 U.S. assistant. Dream team, at T-Mobile Arena on July 10, during the squad’s exhibition match against Canada.
Few has done his research and consulted with Boeheim to get advice on how to succeed in the role.
Yes, we have spoken, but (Few) is excellent, Boeheim replied. It’s an excellent role. Of course, the experts are in charge, but occasionally you provide a suggestion. I used to decide which restaurant to visit.
Carlesimo cut him off with a laugh, saying, “He’s lying.”
Boeheim remarked, “I just think that as a college coach, he comes with a different perspective and we all see something different.” We all do, and the point of this is that even guys who are far brighter than us can still perceive something that could be beneficial. Really, these men collaborate.”
Carlesimo elaborated, saying, “(Few) has taken a lot of ideas, too.” He resembles the NBA in more ways than most individuals do.
Boeheim may receive one or two long-distance calls from Few throughout the upcoming month. He might require assistance with the zone defense.
Boeheim laughed, “I told him, I said, ‘You don’t know what you’re doing. “Well, we won’t use it anyway,” he remarked.
The initial versions of the U.S. Only college coaches were on the Olympic staff. Although Chuck Daly, an NBA coach, was named to lead the U.S. team in 1992, college teams continued to have a significant presence at the Olympics until 2008, with at least two Division I assistant coaches on staff.
“I believe Few is the best, and I think this is because he’s done so many other good things for USA Basketball; it just shows how well-thought-out he is that he can participate in this at the Olympic level,” Carlesimo remarked. It’s much difficult to get selected for this now that there are three NBA teams and one college, as there were a few years ago. That’s crazy and unbelievable, then.
Few had an advantage in the hiring process because of his affiliation with USA Basketball, but Kerr could have approached any number of coaches, as 364 Division I programs will be helmed by coaches this fall, and they would not have been likely to turn down the chance.
Kerr said, “I adore Mark; he’s so much fun to be around.” “He is intelligent, and it is incredibly valuable that he has the collegiate perspective—which is distinct from the NBA perspective. Items such as zone, pressing, trapping, and zone offense. Mark brings to the crew what he has always observed—things that are uncommon in the NBA.
But it’s all so great—the joy, the humor, and sharing a beer with him after the game. I cherish Mark.
•••
Though Spoelstra and Few’s connection has been cemented recently by travel, filming, and good times, the Miami coach believes the two have known one another for “going on three decades.”
The official tally? 34 years old.
When the Pilots and Bulldogs met twice in the same week during the 1989–90 season, “Spo” was a 19-year-old point guard fresh off West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year honors for the University of Portland, while Few was a 27-year-old graduate assistant for Gonzaga’s Dan Fitzgerald. Gonzaga struggled to an 8–20 record after losing both of its games.
Given his prior experience at Gonzaga, Spoelstra has a distinct perspective on the school’s remarkable 25-year tenure under Few. The Bulldogs didn’t finish with a.500 record or better until Spoelstra’s sophomore year at Portland; the majority of the 20- and 30-win seasons that followed were made possible by Few.
“He’s (the coach) a Hall of Famer.” first vote. At this moment, Spoelstra stated. And by the way he connects with others, you would never know it. He’s just a man who enjoys coaching basketball, creating programs, improving athletes, and helping them reach their full potential.
Earlier this month, a group of renowned coaches gathered in Vegas included the coach accountable for Gonzaga’s most recent defeat. During training camp, Matt Painter, a veteran USA Basketball employee from Purdue, was in town to aid Mosley with the Select Team.
Painter, whose Purdue team finished second in the 2023–24 national tournament and defeated Gonzaga 73–63 in the Maui Invitational and 80–68 in the Sweet 16; finds it difficult to comprehend the durability and degree of consistency the Bulldogs have demonstrated under Few.
According to Painter, “a lot of people have good teams or they have two to three years where they’re really good.” They have probably been this good for longer than 25 or 30 years. I have just been a coach for 31 years.
“What strikes me as most astounding is their ability—even if they suffer a major setback in the draft, a player leaves, gets injured, or whatever else, they can still manage to come in first place and advance to the Elite Eight.
“They just keep putting themselves in a position to get to a Final Four or national championship, whatever it may be.”
Zach Edey, the two-time national player of the year, gave Purdue the clear advantage against Gonzaga in all three of their previous meetings. Despite this, Painter approached every game with the appropriate amount of trepidation, especially given the Bulldogs’ constant offensive prowess.
Mostly because of how quickly they disintegrate you. Painter remarked, “Drew Timme was a really tough cover for us.” They performed a fantastic job of picking on us and getting some easy 3-pointers from players who don’t shoot many of them. Above all, the main goal is to prevent them from getting into paint or transition. They have had some pretty talented players, and they are extremely skilled at working you downhill and in transition.
Few’s sustained success at Gonzaga may have one, if you can call it that, disadvantage.
Carlesimo exclaimed, “The run, the run is incomprehensible.” However, the issue is that because they have been so successful for so long, many have failed to recognize the scope of their accomplishments. It is astounding. I have a bias because I adore him.
Boeheim had met a woman earlier in his Vegas visit who claimed to be from Spokane. They struck up a discussion with typical small talk.
Moments before the USA vs. Canada tipoff, Boeheim related his version of events from a courtside seat at T-Mobile Arena. “Well, yeah, you’ve got a great coach,” he remarked. “Great coach, what do you mean? She informed me, “He can’t win a big game.” She holds a college degree.
Boeheim’s demeanor instantly transformed, and his vocabulary expanded to include more colorful terms.
“Since Mark is one of my close friends, I asked, ‘Are you crazy?”Said Boeheim. “You have one of the top two or three coaches in the nation,” she said, glancing at me. You’re telling me he can’t win the big game, when nobody can win games like that?”I was furious.”
The former coach of the Seattle SuperSonics, Carlesimo, lives in Seattle full-time these days and was present at Gonzaga’s nonconference game at Climate Pledge Arena in December against national champion UConn.
Carlesimo remarked, “I was there and I’m shaking my head and saying, this is unbelievable.” “People are upset because UConn defeated us.” What are we discussing, I wonder?”
Skeptics of Few are yet greatly outnumbered by believers. This is particularly true in the competitive and intimidating environment of the Olympic basketball camp, where it can be difficult to fit in. Few has now progressed through the integration process and become an essential part of this highly accomplished and praised U.S. Olympic personnel.
“He expresses his opinions clearly,” added Hill, “and we have excellent working relationships and dynamics with him and the other coaches.”
Not to add, a great deal of respect and admiration for what Few has accomplished throughout his two and a half stellar decades at Gonzaga.
“His achievements are astounding,” remarked Hill. To be honest, I don’t think it receives enough recognition considering how challenging that was. Being competitive each year and having a squad that wins more than 20 games. It is merely a testament to his leadership, his capacity for success, his recruiting prowess, and his endurance to maintain a high standard as a midmajor. It’s not a simple task.
