With the introduction today of former Nevada head man Mark Fox as the new head coach, a new chapter in Georgia basketball begins. Fox spent the last five seasons as Nevada’s head coach and was associate head coach at the school for four years, working under former Stanford and current LSU head coach Trent Johnson. The new Bulldog boss has shown a propensity for winning and perhaps more importantly a propensity for finding and developing talented players. The latter is a part of what made him attractive in the eyes of Georgia athletic director Damon Evans and will determine how successful his stint as head coach will be. “The State of Georgia is a fertile recruiting ground and we’ve got to put a fence around it like what Mark Richt has done in football,” Evans said. “But in order for us to become a national power, we have to go outside of the state […] and I have every confidence that Mark Fox can do that.”
Fox compiled a 123-43 record his five years at the helm of the Wolf Pack. In his first three seasons in charge, Nevada won the WAC regular season championship and made the NCAA Tournament field, advancing to the second round in two of those years. In the last two seasons under Fox, Nevada has tied for a regular season WAC title, getting eliminated in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational tournament both years.
Recruiting was a major reason for that success as the Wolf Pack struck gold with several recruits. Under Fox, Nevada searched nationwide to find future NBA players Ramon Sessions (South Carolina), JaVale McGee (Illinois) and Nick Fazekas (Colorado). Another former Wolf Pack player, 2008 graduate Marcelus Kemp (Washington), is enjoying a standout first year in Italy. Also, Fox was an assistant when Kirk Snyder (California) became the first Nevada player to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft in 2004. McGee later joined him in 2008.
But, in order for the Bulldog program to even begin to reach its full potential, Fox will have to first develop recruiting relationships in the State of Georgia. He announced that he will bring with him Nevada assistant Kwanza Johnson, who played point guard for Tubby Smith’s Sweet 16 Tulsa teams in the mid 90’s, but understood the importance of bringing in an assistant who has ties to the area. “We will certainly hire someone who is familiar with this area,” Fox said. “We will make decisions on the staff in due time. That is a very important part of this process and not one we will rush into.”
He believes the Bulldogs will be able to offer what big-time prospects everywhere are looking for. “Young people should understand that their dreams can come true at this institution,” Fox said. “Every young kid wants to play in the NBA. Every young kid should realize that they are going to have to work and live three or four decades after their basketball career is over with. They can reach both of those goals by attending this school.”
Fox’s eye for spotting underrated talent will serve him well until he can become a bigger name on the local basketball scene. Not one of the Nevada players that have gone to the NBA was recruited by a big six conference. Georgia has scholarships available, but Fox will not be in a hurry to use them. “When you have scholarships late, it’s kind of like when kids go out early to the NBA Draft,” he said. “Most of the talent signs in the early signing period. […] If we can find players who are good enough to help us win then we will try to add them. If we can not find guys that can help us win then we will hold those scholarships for next year.”
The Bulldogs’ two signees from the early signing period are Franklin County guard DeMario Mayfield and Loganville Christian center Daniel Miller. Rising sophomores Trey Thompkins and Dustin Ware head a group of returning Bulldogs. “They will need to get to know me. I’ll need to get to know them,” Fox said of the returning players. “I’m excited to get them on the floor and figure out what they’re capable of.”
What Fox is capable of is a known quantity. Now he will look to bring that to Georgia.
Butler can be reached at jbutler@scoreatl.com.
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