When Eran Ganot left the University of Hawaii five years ago, his avowed goal was to someday work his way back as the Rainbow Warriors’ head basketball coach.
"Someday" arrived Wednesday when the 33-year-old Saint Mary’s associate head coach signed to become the ‘Bows’ newest and youngest full-time head basketball coach of the conference era (1979-2015).
"Eran loved Saint Mary’s but the No. 1 place he’s always wanted to be — and be a head coach — was Hawaii," said Randy Bennett, the Gaels’ head coach. "He’s always talked about it, always been improving his craft working toward getting back to Hawaii. He even gave up a chance at the Chaminade job to wait (for UH)."
UH has scheduled a 9 a.m. campus news conference to introduce Ganot, who told Saint Mary’s players about the job Wednesday afternoon before catching a flight to Honolulu. Ganot and UH officials have declined comment, pending the official announcement.
Ganot, a New Jersey native whose name is pronounced eh-RON gah-knot, was a four-year starter and two-time captain at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania who broke into coaching as a volunteer assistant at Saint Mary’s (2003-06) before coming to UH.
At UH he served under the last three full-time UH head coaches, Gib Arnold, Bob Nash and Riley Wallace. He was director of operations for Wallace (2006-07), was promoted to an assistant by Nash (2007-10) and briefly assisted in Arnold’s transition (2010) before returning to Saint Mary’s, a highly successful mid-major program.
Along the way, Ganot has gained a reputation for persistence, painstaking attention to detail, a tireless work ethic and an ability to be a quick study. Ganot reportedly came to the favorable attention of ESPN, which owns the Diamond Head Classic, and incoming UH athletic director David Matlin, who operated the event, while handling scheduling for the Gaels, who appeared in the tournament twice.
"Believe me I was glad to get him back and, now, having seen the unbelieveable growth in him as a person and a coach, I’m happy for him to be going back (to UH) as their head coach," Bennett said. "He’s definitely ready to be a head coach. You guys got a real steal. He has a chance to become a real star in this profession — and at a young age."
Bruce O’Neil was 27 when he replaced Red Rocha as UH head coach in 1973. Rick Pitino was 23 when he became interim head coach for the final six games of the 1975-76 season after O’Neil stepped down.
Ganot served as Saint Mary’s interim head coach for two and a half weeks in the 2013-14 season, going 3-2, when Bennett was suspended for an NCAA violation. He becomes the fourth of Bennett’s Saint Mary’s assistants to go on to a head coaching jobs at a U.S. college. Two others achieved head coaching posts in Australia.
Bennett’s coaching tree includes Columbia head coach Kyle Smith, who was a finalist for the UH job this time was well as when it went to Arnold in 2010.
Smith was one of at least four sitting Division I head coaches, including UH interim coach Benjy Taylor, who either applied for the job or talked to UH. New Mexico State’s Marvin Menzies, with five NCAA Tournament appearances, was among them.
While it is unlikely UH could have afforded Menzies, who is making a reported $382,294, or Smith, who is at $420,000, people who talked to Ganot said they felt he was the best "all-around fit" for UH at the moment.
Ganot, who will receive a three-year contract, will likely have a salary $100,000 below Arnold’s $344,000 base salary.
He is also expected to have less than the approximately $700,000 salary pool that went to fund the salaries of Arnold, three assistants and an operations director.
Ganot will be asked to consider members of the current coaching staff, but will have free hand to select his own assistants.
Zane Johnson, the ‘Bows’ leading scorer in 2010-11 said, "I’m so happy for Eran. He deserves this job and will do great. He’s the true definition of a gym rat and hard worker. I’ve known Eran for seven years and have not come across a better person. Eran was the reason I came to the University of Hawaii (and) although I was never able to play for him we have stayed close."
Johnson said, "There is no doubt in my mind that he will have great success by doing it the right way."
Former Rainbow Mark Campbell (2002-03), Oregon women’s assistant coach, said, "I’m happy that he gets the opportunity to lead a program. And especially this one, because, since I’ve known him, this is the one job that he’s always talked about. He has a lot of passion and pride for UH."
