Gonzaga University Men's Basketball

Brian Michaelson is in his 13th season as an assistant coach after serving five seasons as in other capacities with the Gonzaga men's basketball program. Michaelson was a natural fit for head coach Mark Few's staff to take over for departed assistant coach Ray Giacoletti in July 2013. Michaelson has quickly become an integral part of Gonzaga's recruiting and player development efforts. He helped lead the GU efforts to land high-profile transfers like, Brandon Clarke, Kyle Wiltjer, Byron Wesley, Nigel Williams-Goss and Johnathan Williams. He's also been a big part in the development of both incoming freshmen, redshirts and transfers like Wiltjer, who had a breakout season in 2015 in averaging 16.8 points per game after a redshirt transfer year in 2014. Wiltjer then led the Zags to the Sweet 16 in 2016, with a team-high 20.4 points per game.   Michaelson helped Gonzaga to 10-straight West Coast Conference regular season titles in his first 11 years. In 2020-21, Michaelson helped lead Gonzaga to the national championship game. The Zags entered the national final in Indianapolis with a 31-0 record. The Bulldogs spent the entire season ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll. In 2019-20, he helped the Bulldogs qualify for their 22nd straight NCAA appearance and the program's fifth No. 1 ranking during the season. In 2016-17, he helped guide the program to the national championship in GU's first-ever appearance in the Final Four. Gonzaga had one of its best seasons ever during Michaelson’s second year as an assistant during the 2014-15 season with a school-record 35-3 mark. The Bulldogs advanced to the Elite Eight for the second time in program history. In his first season as assistant coach in 2013-14, Michaelson helped lead Gonzaga to a 29-7 record, including a 15-3 mark in the WCC and regular season non-conference wins over West Virginia and Colorado State. "If you look at the history of this program we've done a pretty good job of promoting qualified individuals from within," Few said. "I saw no reason to not give Brian the opportunity he earned. He played in this system, left for a few years and then decided to come back and give back to a basketball program and a university he is very passionate about. He knows the staff, the program, the university and the city." Michaelson, a walk-on for the Bulldogs in 2001-02, graduated in 2005 with a degree in business administration after being part of five NCAA Tournament teams. Following graduation, the Portland, Ore., native remained in Spokane and worked in real estate development. He returned to the Zags during the 2008-09 season as an administrative assistant, and in the spring of 2011 was named the assistant director of basketball operations. Michaelson played for Coach Gene Potter at Jesuit High in Portland, Ore., and won the Oregon State Class 4A Tournament as a junior before losing in the semifinals his senior season. As a senior he averaged 19.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg and was named Metro League Player of the Year, first-team All-State, first-team All-State 4A Tournament and MVP of the Oregon Holiday Invitational. His junior season Michaelson earned All-Metro and State 4A Tournament second-team honors, as well as honorable mention All-State while averaging 14.5 ppg and 5.5 rpg. Michaelson is married to former Gonzaga women's soccer player Sarah Hawkins. The couple has three children, Parker, Cole and Wesley.

Barsh joined the Gonzaga men's basketball staff in April 2023, after being an assistant coach under Leonard Hamilton at Florida State. Barsh is a veteran with more than 15 years of coaching experience.   Prior to his one season at Florida State in 2022-23, Barsh was an assistant coach under Leon Rice at Boise State for three seasons where he helped lead the Broncos to the 2022 NCAA Tournament as they set program records for total wins (27), conference wins (15), and consecutive wins (14) on their way to winning the Mountain West regular-season title outright and capturing the Mountain West Tournament championship.   Boise State became just the fifth team in the history of the Mountain West Conference to win both the outright regular season championship and the conference tournament championship in the same season in 2022. During his time as an assistant coach at Boise State, the Broncos averaged 22 wins from 2019-20 to 2021-22. On the strength of its sensational season, Boise State earned a No. 8 seed in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. Barsh also helped Boise to the quarterfinals of the NIT in 2021.   Prior to his tenure at Boise State, Barsh spent the previous seven seasons as the head coach at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Fla. While with SEU, he led the Fire to three NAIA Division II National Tournament appearances, the first for the program in school history. In his second season, SEU went 27-7 and reached the NAIA Fab Four during its first postseason tournament run, ultimately earning Barsh a nod as a finalist for the Don Meyer National Coach of the Year Award. Barsh also led the Fire to tournament appearances following the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons.   Barsh helped lead Tacoma Community College to three Western Region titles in four seasons and an NWAACC championship in 2012. The Titans also made the Elite 8 in the NWAACC Tournament in 2009. Prior to TCC, he spent one season at Lincoln High School (Tacoma), where he helped guide the school to the state's Final Four and a record of 26-5.   Barsh also served as an assistant coach at the University of Puget Sound, his alma mater, from 2005-07. In his first season with the Loggers, the program finished with a 26-5 mark and a NCAA D-III Elite Eight appearance.   Barsh played collegiately for TCC from 2001-03, where he helped lead the Titans to a record of 30-3 and an NWAACC title (2001-02). He was an all-conference honoree the following season.    Barsh earned his bachelor's degree in communications from UPS in 2007.   He has two sons Carson and Greyson.

Stephen Gentry enters his fifth season as an assistant coach on Mark Few’s staff. Gonzaga compiled a record of 112-27 in his first four seasons on the GU staff as an assistant coach, which was the third-best winning percentage in the country over that span. Gentry’s primary responsibilities include overseeing the Zags offense and player development where he works extensively with the guards. Gentry’s impact was felt on the offensive end in 2024-2025 as the Zags averaged 86 ppg (2nd highest in the country) and posted a 1.24 points per possession, the 2nd highest rating ever at Gonzaga.   Gentry oversaw the development of the guards including All-WCC performers Ryan Nembhard and Nolan Hickman. Nembhard had a record-breaking final season. He set new conference and program single season, season average, and single game assist records in 2024-25. He led the nation in assists the entire season with 344, the fifth-most in NCAA history. His 882 career assists rank 22nd all-time in the NCAA, and were the most by a Canadian in NCAA Div. 1 history. Nembhard also broke West Coast Conference assists in league play records. The senior led Gonzaga to breaking the program’s team assist record, which was also second in conference history. He was third in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio, and second in the conference in minutes played. His 60 steals this season were the seventh-most in program history. For his efforts, Nembhard was named First Team All-WCC and First Team All-District by the NABC. He was in the Top 10 for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award and was named to Midseason Watch Lists by the Wooden Award and Naismith Trophy. Before arriving at Gonzaga in 2021, Gentry was an assistant coach at Illinois. At Illinois for two seasons, Gentry oversaw schematic changes on offense and defense that led to increased winning. Prior to his arrival at Illinois, the Illini had a combined 39 percent win percentage in 2017-18 and 2018-19. While at Illinois, Gentry and the Illini had a 79 percent win percentage. Illinois' improvement of plus-9 wins from the 18-19 to the 19-20 season, Gentry's first on staff, was the largest win improvement in the country.   Gentry was the offensive coordinator for one of the country's most prolific offenses his last season at Illinois. The Illini had a Top-10 offense in efficiency (8th in KenPom) and averaged over 80 points per game, which was the fifth highest amongst high major programs. He oversaw the development of a guard position group that included First Team All-American and Bob Cousy Award Winner Ayo Dosunmu and Big 10 Sixth Man of the Year winner Andre Curbelo.   During his time at Illinois, the Illini led the Big 10 in combined wins the last two seasons, winning 72 percent of their league games. Illinois posted back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since 2013-14, and enjoyed two-straight NCAA tournament berths. Illinois earned a one-seed in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, which was a first for the program since 2005. The Illini won the 2021 Big 10 Tournament, and finished No. 2 in the final Associated Press poll behind Gonzaga.   Gentry was Gonzaga's Director of Operations in 2017-18 and 2018-19. The Bulldogs had a stellar 65-9 record over Gentry's two seasons, winning back-to-back West Coast Conference titles and twice advancing to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.   Gonzaga went 32-5 in 2018, winning both the West Coast regular season and tournament championship, and made an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. The 2019 Bulldogs, meanwhile, were 33-4 overall and a perfect 16-0 en route to the WCC regular season title. Gonzaga won the Maui Jim Maui Invitational, held the No. 1 ranking in the AP poll for a total of five weeks, and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the Elite Eight.   Prior to being on the GU staff, Gentry was at Stephen F. Austin for three years and Oklahoma State for one. Gentry's four seasons with Underwood saw their teams go a combined 109-27, including three conference championships and four NCAA Tournaments.    Prior to SFA, Gentry spent six seasons at Texas A&M, including his final two as the Director of Basketball Operations under head coach Billy Kennedy. Previously he worked for four years as the video coordinator under former Aggie head coach Mark Turgeon. Gentry was a part of one of the most successful eras in Aggie basketball and in his six seasons helped the program win 129 games, advance to four NCAA Tournaments and develop three future NBA draft picks.   Gentry came to A&M after one year as a video intern for the NBA's Miami Heat and Hall of Fame coach Pat Riley. The Heat won the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in Gentry's season with the franchise.   Gentry played four seasons at Gonzaga for Coach Few, lettering three times as a guard. During Gentry's four years, the Zags put together a 107-20 record, winning four straight West Coast Conference titles. Gonzaga advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 2006 and made the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament three other times in his career.   Gentry is married to the former Leah Wahlgren, who played college basketball at Oklahoma State. They have a daughter, Svea, and son, Gunnar.

Norvell Jr. joined the Gonzaga staff prior to the 2023-24 season. Norvell was a standout guard for Gonzaga in 2017-18 and 2018-19. He made 174 three-pointers during his time with the Zags. He joined the Bulldogs' 1,000-point scoring club in 2018-19, having scored 1,023 points in his career. The Chicago native was named the 2018 WCC Newcomer of the Year.   After starting 36 of the Zags' 37 games in 2018-19, Norvell was named First Team All-West Coast Conference and Second Team All-District by the NABC. He averaged 14.9 points and 3.14 assists per game during his redshirt sophomore season. He led the WCC with 97 made three-pointers. His 97 made shots from three-point range ranks third all-time in program history for most in a single season.   While playing for Gonzaga, Norvell helped the team advance to an Elite Eight and a Sweet 16. The Zags went 65-9 overall and 33-1 in West Coast Conference league play, with two conference regular season titles during his two seasons. He was a redshirt during the program’s first run to the Final Four and National Championship game.   Following Gonzaga, Norvell made five appearances in the NBA, three with the Golden State Warriors and two with the Los Angeles Lakers. He averaged 15.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists in his 29 appearances with 17 starts, for the South Bay Lakers during the 2019-20 G League season. In his debut for the Santa Cruz Warriors in the G League, Norvell scored a career-high 34 points shooting 7-of-12 from behind the arc while also contributing five rebounds and four assists. In seven games with Santa Cruz, Norvell averaged 12.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists while playing 30.7 minutes per game.  

Jorge Sanz, a key member of Gonzaga's coaching staff since 2018, currently serves as Assistant Coach and Director of Basketball Operations for the Bulldogs. Sanz was promoted to Director of Basketball Operations in 2019, and in 2023, he was elevated to Assistant Coach, serving an expanded role in game preparation, player development and recruiting. Since Sanz’s arrival, Gonzaga has maintained its elite status in college basketball. The program has captured multiple West Coast Conference (WCC) regular season and tournament championships and reached the NCAA Tournament each year. This stretch includes an undefeated regular season and national runner-up finish in 2021.  Sanz has been a central figure in integrating advanced analytics into the team’s strategy and training methods. His ability to distill complex data into practical coaching insights has made him an invaluable asset to the staff. Sanz is widely respected for his expertise in basketball analytics, applying advanced metrics to inform coaching strategies, scouting, and player development, helping drive individual and team performance to the highest level.  Under Sanz's tenure, Gonzaga has produced several NBA talents, reflecting the program's commitment to developing players for professional success: Chet Holmgren: Selected second overall in the 2022 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder, the highest draft pick in Gonzaga history. In his rookie season, Holmgren averaged 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game, earning All-Rookie honors and finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting. Jalen Suggs: Drafted fifth overall in 2021 by the Orlando Magic, Suggs signed a five-year, $150.5 million contract extension in 2024. He was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team and has been a key contributor to the Magic's backcourt.  Rui Hachimura: Selected ninth overall in 2019 by the Washington Wizards, Hachimura now plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. Brandon Clarke: Drafted 21st overall in 2019 by the Oklahoma City Thunder and traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, Clarke was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2020. Corey Kispert: Selected 15th overall in 2021 by the Washington Wizards, Kispert set the franchise's rookie record for three-pointers made and continues to be a reliable perimeter shooter. Andrew Nembhard: Drafted 31st overall in 2022 by the Indiana Pacers, Nembhard emerged as a key player in the Pacers' 2024 playoff run, averaging 24 points and 10 assists in the Eastern Conference Finals.  Julian Strawther: Selected in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets, Strawther contributed to the team's depth during his rookie season. Anton Watson: Drafted 54th overall in 2024 by the Boston Celtics, Watson signed a two-way contract with the New York Knicks, showcasing his defensive versatility. Drew Timme: After becoming Gonzaga’s all-time leading scorer, Timme signed a multi-year contract with the Brooklyn Nets. He registered a double-double in his NBA debut in 2025. These successes underscore Gonzaga's reputation for developing NBA-ready talent and highlight Sanz's role in preparing players for the next level.  A native of Zaragoza, Spain, Sanz has been instrumental in keeping the program’s international allure. He holds the Entrenador Superior certification—the highest coaching qualification in Spanish basketball. He has served as an Assistant Coach/Defensive Coordinator for various Spanish national youth teams since 2018, helping guide the U17 squad to a silver medal at the 2022 FIBA World Cup and the U18 team to silver at the 2023 European Championships. His international experience brings a global perspective to the Gonzaga program, blending European fundamentals with cutting-edge player development philosophies.  Prior to his tenure in Spokane, Sanz spent eight seasons at Florida Atlantic University, where he rose from video coordinator to assistant coach. During his time there, he contributed to a Sun Belt Conference regular season title and the program’s first-ever berth in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in 2010.  Sanz earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Florida Atlantic University in 2011, and a Master’s in Sport and Athletic Administration from Gonzaga in 2025. He lives in Spokane with his wife, Franchesca, and their two daughters, Luna and Laia.