Joe Dooley speaks about returning to KU hoops program: ‘Tradition doesn’t change’
Joe Dooley was not interested in taking any time off — spending any time away from basketball — after leaving the head coaching position at East Carolina on March 11.
“That’s not my personality. I like basketball. I like being around the game. At this point of my career I wanted to work for somebody I obviously respect, somebody I think is a really good coach,” Dooley, a 57-year-old former Kansas assistant coach, told The Star on Thursday after being introduced as KU basketball’s director of student-athlete development by 20th-year head coach Bill Self.
“I see (myself) being a sounding board or help in whatever capacity they need, not that they need any help,” Dooley said.
He knows all about Self and the Jayhawks program, having been an original member of Self’s KU coaching staff and previously working at KU from 2003-04 to 2012-2013.
Dooley, he helped KU win a national title in 2008, reach the Final Four in 2012 and win nine consecutive league titles before leaving to coach Florida Gulf Coast from 2014-18 and East Carolina from 2019-22, obviously has fond memories from his 10-year stint in Lawrence.
“Not a singular moment. You remember collective things — the coaches you worked with, the players you coached, a lot of the great wins,” he said. “You remember a lot of the bitter defeats. You remember the amount of pride and history the program has and the amount of pride the state has in the Jayhawks.
“It’s obviously a great town, great people. Obviously the facilities have changed a little bit. They’ve done some things, updated some things, but tradition doesn’t change.”
Dooley, a standout guard at George Washington U from 1984-88, said KU winning the national title in 2008 was a special moment in his coaching career.
“You appreciate it … how hard it is, how hard coach (Self) worked to get there,” Dooley said. “You watch things year to year. As time goes on, it’s not as easy as people think.”
Being a head coach isn’t easy, either, but it’s something Dooley said he enjoyed the past several years.
“It is fun,” Dooley said. “I had two different type of jobs. Florida Gulf Coast you had a job where Andy (Enfield, now at USC) left it in really good shape and you built upon it. You took over a total rebuild at East Carolina (where he went 44-67). We got better every year.
“At Florida Gulf Coast (where he went 114-58) I thought we got better every year. There are things you learn. I was a head coach 13 years (in a previous stint at East Carolina from 1996 to 1999 he went 57-52). As an assistant there are things you can always do better. As a head coach you pay attention to this and that and do a little bit more.”
Dooley said he’d like to be a head coach again, “If the situation is right. I think a lot of programs are built to win and you see why they are winning. We talk about it all the time, administrations win championships. A lot would have to be with the right people at the right time.”
Dooley said his new role at KU will include “whatever Coach needs. I’m familiar with everyone on the staff, with coach and the program. Whatever Coach needs, we’ll be prepared to help.
“It’s remarkable,” he added of the job Self has done at KU. The Jayhawks are coming off a second national title in the Self era.
“You start looking at the numbers … He’s done a great job setting up to continue to have phenomenal success. I think the future is very bright.”
Dooley’s wife, Tanya, will soon join Dooley in Lawrence. Their son, Max, who was born in Lawrence, is now a freshman at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York.
“Joanie (Stephens, administrative assistant to Self) and I were talking. She was saying, ‘It was 19 years ago in July or August you Tanya and Max walked down this hall with Max in a little carrier. Now my little man is at West Point,’” Dooley said.
Earlier Thursday, Self issued a statement indicating he was happy to have Dooley back.
“Joe was here for 10 seasons and then went to Florida Gulf Coast and East Carolina. When he became available for employment, I thought it was a no-brainer to try and get him back. He’s played huge role in the success we’ve had. Even though his role will be different this year, I feel like adding Joe to our staff will enhance our program.”
