dence , calling it “ the second-best job I ’ ve ever had .” Barnes told Tranghese that English was the best recruiter he ’ s ever had , and that he could handle the pressure of the Big East .
Convinced that English was their man and that Cooley was going to leave , Napolillo and Tranghese felt a sense of urgency . They knew they had to move quickly to hire a new coach , to avoid an exodus of players that could devastate the program .
Over the weekend prior to Cooley ’ s Monday introduction at Georgetown , Tranghese had a series of phone conversations with English . Ironically , English ’ s agent also represents Rick Pitino , who was in talks at the time to go to St . John ’ s . The agent initially thought Tranghese wanted Pitino to return to Providence .
Two days after Cooley ’ s departure , English was on a plane to Providence . Napolillo , who had asked the players to give him forty-eight hours to find them a great coach , picked up English at the airport . Enroute to dinner that night with the PC president , the Rev . Kenneth R . Sicard , English bumped into Bryce Hopkins and a few other players at the gym . After dinner , English and Napolillo returned to the Ruane Center , where they worked until 2 a . m . hammering out a contract .
English set to work recruiting his first class — the players already on the roster . He convinced the team ’ s stars , Bryce Hopkins and Devin Carter , to stay . He brought three George Mason transfers , including all-Atlantic 10 big man Josh Oduro . And he flew to Los Angeles to meet with three top high school players whom Cooley had recruited , including top prospect Garwey Dual , who was also being wooed by Cooley at Georgetown and Pitino at St . John ’ s .
The new coach flew back to Providence , had dinner with his team , then took a private charter jet to Houston that night to meet with Dual ’ s AAU coach . Barnes , who recalls many a late-night commercial flight home from Newark , says PC didn ’ t have the resources in his day for private jets to chase recruits .
Dual agreed to keep PC on his radar , and a few weeks later dropped by the Ruane Center one night . He was late , which English chastised him for . But while English had been waiting , he saw talented Friar point guard Jayden Pierre , who had entered the transfer portal , working out and challenged him to play oneon-one . If he won , English told Pierre , the player would have to stay . English won , posting an Instagram video that went viral . Pierre
stayed . And Dual agreed to come to PC . “ That was a good night ,” says English . English and Napolillo had moved quickly to flip the script . In June , Providence announced that it had sold out its season tickets for English ’ s first season , at 10,500 — 2,000 more than Cooley ’ s final season .
In Providence , things were once again divine .
Father Jordan and students in his Renaissance Literature class attended English ’ s introductory press conference . That summer , English befriended the friar and invited him to practice . One day , English coached him on his shooting . Afterward , Father Jordan sank a three-pointer in his flowing white robe . The video went viral on social media .
BACK AT THE GARDEN , the questions keep coming .
English says he ’ s not even thinking about when Georgetown visits Providence . The Jan . 27 game was sold out before the season , and online tickets started at $ 300 ranging to $ 2,300 for courtside . The Providence and Georgetown contingents had arrived at the Garden that morning at the same time ; there were hugs and handshakes , not animosity .
English jokes he may be the only person in Rhode Island who likes Cooley . Then , seriously , he says that Cooley has told him about the passionate fan base . He expresses gratitude to Cooley for leaving him a program in such great shape . English has embraced former Friars like NBA player Kris Dunn , who worked out on campus last summer , and Ernie DiGregorio , who chatted with the coach during a preseason scrimmage .
Nearby , Cooley says that he still loves Providence , and will be rooting for the Friars whenever they don ’ t play Georgetown . His words echo Georgetown ’ s legendary coach John Thompson , the first Black coach to win a national championship , who went to Providence College in the 1960s . Thompson always had a soft spot for the Friars and rooted for them when they weren ’ t playing his Hoyas .
A few tables down , Pitino reminisces about his days at Providence , when he upset Thompson ’ s Hoyas to go to the Final Four . He came back to PC last summer for a reunion and was “ blown away ” by the new facilities and how far the program has come .
For all his promise , English remains untested in the fires of the Big East . He also must navigate the brutal new economics of college basketball , where players can be paid for endorsements and appearances . Providence boosters say they have raised enough money to compete in the so-called name , image and likeness arena , but it remains a shadowy world that poses new recruiting challenges . Following Big East Media Day , English is on a plane to Atlanta to see a top recruit , Daquan Davis , who had verbally committed to PC . But five days later , Davis announces on social media that he has changed his mind and reopened his recruitment .
Still , English ’ s youth and energy , up-tempo style and NBA experience resonate with players . A lot of coaches talk about wanting to play fast , notes Kevin McNamara , but “ from what I ’ ve seen early , English ’ s Friars actually do .” English is demanding but also playful , challenging the Friars to trivia contests , joking around with them and kicking his assistants out of a scouting meeting to learn magic tricks from a fan who also taught Rick Barnes years ago .
“ His love and passion bleeds into his players ,” says Friar guard Ticket Gaines , who was with English at George Mason and Tennessee . “ He ’ ll get on the floor with you , take a charge .”
A fired-up English literally did that in PC ’ s home opener , reaching down and lifting Gaines off the floor after the player dove for a loose ball . Afterward , English marveled at the near-capacity crowd — “ it felt like a midseason SEC game at Tennessee .” By contrast , Rick Barnes recalls walking off the same court after a big win and hearing boos because the Friars hadn ’ t covered the point spread .
“ Coming to the Big East is a great opportunity . Coach will be competing night in and night out with the best coaches , and that will help him grow ,” says Gaines .
Napolillo , the Providence AD , stands on the Garden floor , surveying the experienced Big East coaches .
“ They were all Kim at one point ,” he says . “ I said to him , ‘ Are you ready to go into the lion ’ s den ?’ And he said , ‘ Put me in and close the door .’”
As a boy , English would sneak into the janitor ’ s closet at school to watch Big East tournament games from the Garden . He can tell you precisely how many times he ’ s played here — once in college , twice with the Pistons against the New York Knicks . He ’ s grateful , but not overwhelmed , to be here .
“ It ’ s the game on the court that ’ s my focus . If we lose , it ’ s because of me ,” he says , then gestures towards his players . “ If we win , it ’ s because of these guys .” 🆁
RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l JANUARY 2024 55