BALTIMORE — Within the first 10 minutes inside Kevin Willard’s office, Dan McHale began to understand how fortunate he was to land a position as a graduate assistant at Louisville. McHale had graduated from Kentucky just a few months earlier, and yet here he was, receiving his marching orders from Willard, a rising star in college basketball.
Willard outlined McHale’s role in the sort of efficient nature adopted by coaches who must maximize their time. There would be 18-hour days ahead, studying opponents and going over practice plans. An extensive onboarding process for McHale would’ve cut into what they were all at Louisville to focus on: basketball.
“I knew it right away,” said McHale, who’s now a special assistant with New Mexico. It’s the air of authority Willard gives off. And it’s more than that — from a young age, Willard convinced those around him to buy in completely, giving their trust to a relatively unknown commodity.
