Ernie Kent
Encyclopedia
Ernie Kent is an American
college basketball
coach. He is the former head men's basketball coach at the University of Oregon
. Kent replaced Jerry Green
as coach following the 1996-97 season. Prior to becoming head coach at Oregon, Kent was an assistant at Stanford University
and also coached at St. Mary's as well as abroad in Saudi Arabia
.
from 1973 to 1977 under head coach Dick Harter
. Nicknamed "Million Moves", he was a part of the Kamikaze Kids
, known for constant hustle and extremely aggressive play in their attempts to win ball games. Knee injuries ended his collegiate career.
coaching basketball for the Al-Khaleej Club. Kent and his wife were immersed in Arab
culture, living in a Shiite Muslim
village for their first two years, also working for the Arabian American Oil Company in Dhahran
. He recalls learning how to be patient, since a translator was required for communication with his team. It was a stressful period of his life and taught him how to deal with extreme pressure.
After returning to the United States
from Saudi Arabia, he became an assistant coach at Colorado State University
, then at Stanford University
under head coach Mike Montgomery
. He later went on to become the head coach at Saint Mary's College of California
where he remained for six years. While at Saint Mary's, Kent's coaching relationship with the players changed drastically. His players told Kent that they could not relate to him due to his militaristic style. From that moment on, Kent reversed his stance and became more compassionate toward his players. He took his players before every season to go to a retreat, where his players bonded with each other, strengthening the cohesiveness of the team, a tradition he continued at the University of Oregon
.
, Kent was the first African American
head coach to be hired in the history of the Oregon Ducks
athletic department regardless of sport. Under Kent, the Ducks reached the NCAA tournament five times, in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2007 and 2008, reaching the Elite Eight
in 2002 and 2007. He also led the Ducks to the National Invitation Tournament
Final Four
in 1999 and 2004. In the 2002 season, Kent led the team to its first conference title since 1939 despite the Pacific-10 Conference sending a record of six teams into the NCAA tournament. Under Kent, Oregon was known for playing an up-tempo pace and guard-heavy lineups.
As head coach, Kent was known for his recruiting ability, bringing in a class of highly regarded recruits in 2004 such as Maarty Leunen
, Bryce Taylor
, Chamberlain Oguchi
and Malik Hairston
. He was highly criticized for failing to sign two of the highest profile recruits to come from the state of Oregon for the class of 2007, Kyle Singler
and Kevin Love
. The following year, he signed the #21 recruiting class. During his tenure, he had four players drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft
in Fred Jones, Luke Ridnour
, Luke Jackson and Aaron Brooks
.
A decline in the success of his teams between 2004 and 2006, the perceived lack of development of highly-regarded recruits as well as rumors of personal issues led many people to question whether Kent would remain at Oregon after the 2005-2006 season. But after the season, the school's athletic director at the time, Bill Moos, issued a statement affirming his support for Kent. The team regained its composure the following year and finished the season with in the Elite Eight in the 2007 NCAA tournament
. Senior point guard Aaron Brooks
said that he felt the team let Kent down the previous season for wanting to play in an up-tempo style but not conditioning for it. After the 2008-2009 season when Kent posted his worst record with Oregon, questions whether Kent would be retained resurfaced. Kent remained the head coach, but following a second-to-last finish in the Pac-10 in the 2009–10 season
, Kent was fired.
and is married to Diana and they have three children: Marcus, Jordan and McKenzie. Jordan Kent
was a three-sport letterman for the University of Oregon
in track & field, basketball and football.
With his degree in community service and public affairs, he is also heavily involved in community service in Eugene, earning the 2004 Hope Award from the Oregon Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Kent is also active with the American Cancer Society and the Coaches Versus Cancer campaign while being the honorary chairman of the Children's Miracle Network.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
coach. He is the former head men's basketball coach at the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
. Kent replaced Jerry Green
Jerry Green
Gerald B. "Jerry" Green is an American Democratic politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 1992, where he represents the 22nd legislative district, having represented the 17th Legislative District until 2002....
as coach following the 1996-97 season. Prior to becoming head coach at Oregon, Kent was an assistant at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
and also coached at St. Mary's as well as abroad in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
.
Basketball player
Kent played for the Oregon DucksOregon Ducks men's basketball
Oregon Ducks men’s college basketball is an intercollegiate basketball program that competes in the NCAA Division I and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference, representing the University of Oregon. The Ducks play their home games at Matthew Knight Arena. Oregon, then coached by Howard Hobson, won...
from 1973 to 1977 under head coach Dick Harter
Dick Harter
Dick Harter is an American basketball coach, who has served as both a head and assistant coach in both the NBA and NCAA.-Coaching career:...
. Nicknamed "Million Moves", he was a part of the Kamikaze Kids
Kamikaze Kids
The Kamikaze Kids refers to the Oregon Ducks men's basketball teams of 1971-1978. The teams were coached by Dick Harter until his departure in 1978. Harter hated the Ducks moniker and insisted that any media and public relations material refer to his teams only by the Kamikaze Kids. The Kamikaze...
, known for constant hustle and extremely aggressive play in their attempts to win ball games. Knee injuries ended his collegiate career.
Early coaching career
Between 1980 and 1987, Ernie Kent spent his days in Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
coaching basketball for the Al-Khaleej Club. Kent and his wife were immersed in Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
culture, living in a Shiite Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
village for their first two years, also working for the Arabian American Oil Company in Dhahran
Dhahran
Dhahran is a city located in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, and is a major administrative center for the Saudi oil industry. Large oil reserves were first identified in the Dhahran area in 1931, and in 1935 Standard Oil of California drilled the first commercially viable oil well...
. He recalls learning how to be patient, since a translator was required for communication with his team. It was a stressful period of his life and taught him how to deal with extreme pressure.
After returning to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from Saudi Arabia, he became an assistant coach at Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
, then at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
under head coach Mike Montgomery
Mike Montgomery
Mike Montgomery is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach of the California Golden Bears men's basketball team. He was also the men's basketball coach of at Stanford from 1986 to 2004 and at the University of Montana for eight seasons prior to coaching at Stanford...
. He later went on to become the head coach at Saint Mary's College of California
Saint Mary's College of California
Saint Mary's College of California is a private, coeducational college located in Moraga, California, United States, a small suburban community about east of Oakland and 20 miles east of San Francisco. It has a 420-acre campus in the Moraga hills. It is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church...
where he remained for six years. While at Saint Mary's, Kent's coaching relationship with the players changed drastically. His players told Kent that they could not relate to him due to his militaristic style. From that moment on, Kent reversed his stance and became more compassionate toward his players. He took his players before every season to go to a retreat, where his players bonded with each other, strengthening the cohesiveness of the team, a tradition he continued at the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
.
University of Oregon
Kent was hired in 1997 to replace Jerry Green, who was leaving for a position at the University of TennesseeUniversity of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
, Kent was the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
head coach to be hired in the history of the Oregon Ducks
Oregon Ducks
The Oregon Ducks refers to the sports teams of the University of Oregon, located in Eugene, Oregon. The Oregon Ducks are part of the Pacific-12 Conference in the Division 1 of the NCAA. With seventeen varsity teams, the Oregon Ducks are best known for their football team and Track and Field...
athletic department regardless of sport. Under Kent, the Ducks reached the NCAA tournament five times, in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2007 and 2008, reaching the Elite Eight
Elite Eight
The term Elite Eight, or less commonly called "Great Eight", refers to the final eight teams in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship or the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship; and, thus, represents the national quarterfinals. In Division I, the Elite Eight consists of the...
in 2002 and 2007. He also led the Ducks to the National Invitation Tournament
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
in 1999 and 2004. In the 2002 season, Kent led the team to its first conference title since 1939 despite the Pacific-10 Conference sending a record of six teams into the NCAA tournament. Under Kent, Oregon was known for playing an up-tempo pace and guard-heavy lineups.
As head coach, Kent was known for his recruiting ability, bringing in a class of highly regarded recruits in 2004 such as Maarty Leunen
Maarty Leunen
Maarten "Maarty" Arthur Leunen is an American professional basketball player. A power forward formerly at the University of Oregon, he was drafted with the 54th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets...
, Bryce Taylor
Bryce Taylor
Bryce Taylor is an American basketball player who played at the University of Oregon.-High school:Prior to arriving at the University of Oregon, Taylor starred at Harvard-Westlake School, where he set a school record by scoring 54 points in a game, as his team won three straight CIF...
, Chamberlain Oguchi
Chamberlain Oguchi
Chamberlain Oguchi is a Nigerian American basketball player. He is a 6'6", 200 pound guard-forward who most recently played as an import for the Meralco Bolts of the PBA. Oguchi played for the University of Oregon for three years before transferring to Illinois State University in 2007...
and Malik Hairston
Malik Hairston
Malik Samory Hairston is an American basketball player, chosen in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns, who then traded his rights to the San Antonio Spurs. He previously played for the University of Oregon. During his professional career, Hairston has played for the San Antonio Spurs and the...
. He was highly criticized for failing to sign two of the highest profile recruits to come from the state of Oregon for the class of 2007, Kyle Singler
Kyle Singler
Kyle Edward Singler is a professional basketball player for the Real Madrid in Spain. He was a four-year starter for the Duke men's basketball team and was instrumental in their 2010 NCAA Championship run, earning MVP of the Final Four.-High school:Singler attended South Medford High School and...
and Kevin Love
Kevin Love
Kevin Love, born in Des Moines, Iowa, is a former NASCAR driver. He ran five races in the 2004 Craftsman Truck Series season, all for Fiddleback Racing....
. The following year, he signed the #21 recruiting class. During his tenure, he had four players drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft
NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
in Fred Jones, Luke Ridnour
Luke Ridnour
Lucas Robin "Luke" Ridnour is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was born in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho and grew up in Blaine, Washington.- High school career :...
, Luke Jackson and Aaron Brooks
Aaron Brooks (basketball)
Aaron Jamal Brooks is an American basketball player who is currently a point guard for the Guangdong Southern Tigers. He was selected 26th overall in the 2007 NBA Draft...
.
A decline in the success of his teams between 2004 and 2006, the perceived lack of development of highly-regarded recruits as well as rumors of personal issues led many people to question whether Kent would remain at Oregon after the 2005-2006 season. But after the season, the school's athletic director at the time, Bill Moos, issued a statement affirming his support for Kent. The team regained its composure the following year and finished the season with in the Elite Eight in the 2007 NCAA tournament
2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 NCAA schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2006–07 basketball season...
. Senior point guard Aaron Brooks
Aaron Brooks (basketball)
Aaron Jamal Brooks is an American basketball player who is currently a point guard for the Guangdong Southern Tigers. He was selected 26th overall in the 2007 NBA Draft...
said that he felt the team let Kent down the previous season for wanting to play in an up-tempo style but not conditioning for it. After the 2008-2009 season when Kent posted his worst record with Oregon, questions whether Kent would be retained resurfaced. Kent remained the head coach, but following a second-to-last finish in the Pac-10 in the 2009–10 season
2009–10 Oregon Ducks men's basketball team
The 2009–10 Oregon Ducks men's basketball team represented the University of Oregon in the 2009–10 college basketball season. This was head coach Ernie Kent's 13th season at Oregon. The Ducks play their home games at McArthur Court and are members of the Pacific-10 Conference...
, Kent was fired.
Head coaching record
Personal life
Ernie Kent was born January 22, 1955 in Rockford, IllinoisRockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
and is married to Diana and they have three children: Marcus, Jordan and McKenzie. Jordan Kent
Jordan Kent
Jordan Russell Kent is a free agent American football wide receiver who last played for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oregon.-Early years:Kent attended Winston...
was a three-sport letterman for the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
in track & field, basketball and football.
With his degree in community service and public affairs, he is also heavily involved in community service in Eugene, earning the 2004 Hope Award from the Oregon Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Kent is also active with the American Cancer Society and the Coaches Versus Cancer campaign while being the honorary chairman of the Children's Miracle Network.