July 13, 2011
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By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFathletics.com) - Bob Starkey has been around the best of the best when it comes to college basketball, having coached former LSU greats Shaquille O'Neal, Sylvia Fowles and Seimone Augustus while also helping the Lady Tigers reach five Finals Fours and win three Southeastern Conference titles.
Starkey knows a good thing when he sees it, and he is almost certain now that UCF's blossoming women's basketball program is on the verge of moving into the nation's elite where the team will be a fixture in the Top 25. That's one of the reasons why Starkey jumped at the chance to join Joi Williams' staff as an assistant coach for next season.
``I don't think there's any question that they're ready (to make that jump), and really I think it's already in progress,'' Starkey said. ``A program is very process-oriented because you don't just make that quick jump into the Top 25. It's gradual and it comes from your recruiting, your teaching and your facilities and you just see things grow.''
``If you look at UCF's two recent NCAA trips, they played North Carolina incredibly close (in 2009) and this past season they gave Ohio State everything that they wanted,'' Starkey continued. ``So obviously they are competing with some really good teams. So I think it's just a matter of time now for this program to jump into that elite group.''
That expected jump should be aided by the addition of Starkey, who is considered one of the top teachers in all of women's college basketball. He had been the associate head coach under Van Chancellor since 2007 and had spent 13 seasons with the Lady Tigers. And before that, he was a part of Dale Brown's staff for the men's team where he tutored O'Neal.
Put all of those experiences together and its helped shape the coaching personality of the affable Starkey.
``I've been very fortunate in terms of who I have worked with. You could go back to Dale Brown and I took something different from everybody that I've worked with,'' he said. ``Dale Brown was such a great motivator and Coach (Sue) Gunter was Hall of Fame coach who was an incredible teacher. With all of the coaches I've worked for, I've realized it's all about relationships with your players. There are a lot of ways to coach the game, a lot of offenses and defenses, but the people who truly teach the game understand that it's about relationships.''
UCF's women's basketball team is coming off its second Conference USA title in three seasons. The Knights rolled through the tourney in El Paso last March, beating UAB, Memphis and Tulane for the right to go to the NCAA Tournament. UCF put a scare into Ohio State in the NCAA Tournament, pulling within five points of the lead late in the second half before ultimately falling 80-69.
Starkey said he's eager to learn more about UCF's personnel, but he's been impressed so far with what he's seen while watching game footage. He likes that UCF's team already has a close bond and players are held accountable by Williams and associate head coach Greg Brown and teammates.
``The thing that is very evident to me - and I haven't had an opportunity to get on the floor with them per NCAA rules - is that I've never been associated with a group where every single individual gets along with everyone else on the team like this one,'' Starkey said. ``It's a very close-knit team and you can tell they really enjoy their time together. Seeing them around the office and working camps you can just tell it's a very close-knit family. It's very conducive to teaching and I think that bond here it's a good thing.''
Starkey is quite familiar with UCF's coaching staff, having been friends with Williams and Brown for more than a decade. He's known Williams since her days at Florida in the SEC, and Brown and Starkey have been close for years because of their association with legendary coach Don Meyer.
Those friendships were a major factor in Starkey's pull to Orlando, but it was UCF's total package that convinced him that the Knights are a program on the rise.
``I've closely followed UCF's program through the years and I'm excited about being a part of their philosophy here because they care about student-athletes and they care about teaching the game,'' he said. ``Once I got here, it was like, `Wow!' I was blown away by the facilities and the campus, the administration and the commitment to excellence. When you come to this campus there's such a wow factor that you pick up on immediately. There's just so much to like and I think it's going to be a great fit.''
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John Denton's Knights Insider appears on UCFathletics.com several times a week. E-mail John at jdenton@athletics.ucf.edu.