Coached Up

Legendary college basketball coach and longtime Coaches vs. Cancer supporter Tubby Smith joins hosts D.J. Allen and Lon Kruger for a great discussion on the current state of the game, the changes that Coach Smith has seen over his career, and the importance of joining Coaches vs. Cancer and the American Cancer Society in the fight against cancer.

NOTE: This conversation was recorded prior to Coach Smith stepping down as head coach of High Point University

This episode, hosts D.J. Allen and Lon Kruger get double the fun with Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman and his wife, Danyelle. The Musselmans share their perspective on the current state of college basketball and what's helped Eric achieve success and Nevada and now Arkansas. The duo also goes into how they went from getting involved with Coaches vs. Cancer by chance to being leaders within the organization in the fight against cancer – both with fellow coaches and their spouses.

Coaches vs. Cancer is a partnership between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

We kick off the 2021-22 college basketball season by chatting with Southern Utah head coach Todd Simon along with hosts D.J. Allen and Coach Lon Kruger. Simon took over a Thunderbirds program that was coming off of a 5-win season in 2015-16, and took them to a Big Sky conference championship in 2021. Listen in as Coach Simon shares how he has approached building a winning culture at Southern Utah, plus his support of Coaches vs. Cancer in his area.

We take a look back at some of our favorite clips from the past year of Coached Up, as coaches and others in the college basketball community share insights they've picked up in life, leadership, and the ongoing work taking place with Coaches vs. Cancer – a partnership between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Enjoy these highlights from top coaches such as Lon Kruger, Frank Martin, Brad Underwood and more – then head back into the archives for the full interviews!

Oregon Ducks head coach Dana Altman joins D.J. Allen and guest co-host Lon Kruger in a special preview of the Las Vegas Golf Classic benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer. Coach Altman shares how he's grown as a coach since joining Coach Kruger's staff at Kansas State 35 years ago, as well as the most selfless act he's witnessed from a star player that allowed his 2017 Oregon team to reach the Final Four. Plus, Coach Altman shares why he and his staff join Coach Kruger's annual golf tournament to raise funds for Coaches vs. Cancer and the American Cancer Society.

ESPN college basketball analyst and huge Coaches vs. Cancer advocate Sean Farnham joins host D.J. Allen on this episode of Coached Up! Farnham shares what traits he sees from covering the nation's best coaches, his own experience growing as a teammate and leader as a player at UCLA, plus why he is so passionate about the work of Coaches vs. Cancer in conjunction with the American Cancer Society and National Association of Basketball Coaches.

NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball Dan Gavitt – the man behind March Madness – joins host D.J. Allen to discuss his team's adjustment to a tournament in a pandemic, his own battle with cancer, and how the American Cancer Society is working to improve health equity through Coaches vs. Cancer alongside the NABC.

Brown University head coach Mike Martin joins host D.J. Allen to discuss how he's grown as a leader since being named one of the youngest head coaches in Division I basketball, how he recruits for talent and "fit" in the Ivy League, and his favorite memories being part of Coaches vs. Cancer – a partnership between the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the American Cancer Society.

New NABC executive director and former Brown and Oregon State head coach Craig Robinson joins host D.J. Allen to discuss his new role leading coaches, his unorthodox path into coaching, and why the organization's partnership with the American Cancer Society to support Coaches vs. Cancer is so important. 

George Washington head coach Jamion Christian joins host D.J. Allen to discuss his rise as young head coach, how he brings individuals together to create a team, plus why he has joined Coaches vs. Cancer alongside his fellow coaches in support of the American Cancer Society.

Phil Martelli, now associate head coach at Michigan but a longtime mainstay in Philadelphia basketball, joins host D.J Allen to discuss how he's changed as a coach over time, his approach to now being part of a staff rather than head coach, and why he's made it a personal goal to "crush cancer" alongside Coaches vs. Cancer and the American Cancer Society.

South Carolina head coach Frank Martin joins host D.J. Allen and discusses the perspective that his time as a high school teacher and coach has given him in his career, his approach to leadership, and why the Coaches vs. Cancer and American Cancer Society mission is so important to him, his family, and his teams.

A rising star in college basketball and Coaches vs. Cancer, Hawai'i head coach Eran Ganot joins host D.J. Allen to talk about his journey to becoming a head coach, leadership traits he looks for in his staff and players, and why he was so eager to get involved in the Coaches vs. Cancer and American Cancer Society mission.

Oklahoma head coach Lon Kruger chats with D.J. Allen about what advice he'd give himself starting out as a coach, how he makes family a priority in his program, and why the work he does with Coaches vs. Cancer to support the American Cancer Society as chairman of the National Coaches Council is personal for him. Plus, his love for ice cream and musicals.

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood joins D.J. Allen to discuss the leaders he’s learned from, “what the cameras don’t see” when leading a team, which other coach he’d challenge to a free throw contest, and why he's involved in Coaches vs. Cancer, a program of the American Cancer Society and the NABC.