CLEVELAND — Cleveland State introduced its new head basketball coach Dennis Gates on Tuesday. The 39-year-old is tasked with resurrecting a Vikings program that has fallen on hard times in recent years.
Gates spent the last nine years on the coaching staff at Florida State University, learning from his mentor Leonard Hamilton. The Chicago native played college basketball at California, then worked his way up as an assistant coach with stops at Marquette, Northern Illinois, Cal, Nevada, and with the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers prior to joining FSU.
How tough is the job that awaits Dennis Gates? He inherits a Vikings program that has gone 22-44 over the last two seasons. The school fired Dennis Felton earlier this month. Two of the program's top players, Tyree Applebee and Rashad Williams, both transferred in the offseason. Several other members of the team are reported to be in the NCAA's transfer portal.
After a busy day that featured a press conference and meetings, Gates stopped by our WKYC studios for an interview with Jim Donovan on Tuesday's Donovan Live. You can watch the interview in the player above.
Following Donovan Live, Gates stuck around and chatted with Jimmy and yours truly on the Donovan Live Postgame Show. Check out that interview below: