Why Matt McKillop Will Succeed

Bob McKillop is the most consequential figure in the modern history of Davidson Basketball, full stop. Without Bob McKillop there is no Steph Curry, there is no magical run in 08, there is no Atlantic 10, and there may not even be division one basketball at Davidson. But Bob McKillop isn’t the head basketball coach at Davidson College anymore, and that’s scary. I’m here to tell you to not be scared though. I’m here to tell you how excited I am for Matt McKillop and this next era of Davidson Basketball.

Of course, there is actually reason behind my belief, I promise. First, let’s start with Matt McKillop himself. I was lucky enough to interview Coach McKillop the younger a few years ago for a Davidsonian Article and as anyone who has met and spoken with him can attest, the man is so obviously cut out for his line of work. I began the session by nervously fumbling around my bag for my prepared questions but by the end the interview was fun and conversational. In just about 30 minutes Matt McKillop made me feel confident in my abilities and comfortable in an intimidating environment (have you ever been in the Davidson Basketball offices? There are a lot of trophies, its intimidating!). And while Matt McKillop is not a carbon copy of his father, he has clearly learned a great deal from him. From his energy to his charisma and gravitas, it is apparent that the apple has not fallen far from the tree. Just as with Bob McKillop, Matt McKillop is the exact type of person you want to lead your program and can be proud of how he represents Davidson.

On a more tangible note, Matt McKillop has the requisite credentials and experience to coach the Wildcats. Besides having grown up around the basketball program and starring on the basketball team himself, he has spent 14 seasons on the Davidson bench and was Associate Head Coach for six seasons. During this time, he has had a hand in everything from game planning to recruiting and scheduling. In particular he has a prolific track record as a recruiter as he was critical to landing stars such as Jack Gibbs and Peyton Aldridge. Ultimately, Matt McKillop had a great deal of responsibility and played a key role in the program’s very successful past decade plus.

Matt will also benefit significantly from the well-oiled machine of a program that his father built. Davidson Basketball has never been in a better spot than it is right now. Since joining the A10 for the 2014/2015 season Davidson has won the league three times (two regular season titles and one tournament title), finished in the top-four five times, made the NCAA Tournament three times, and finished in the KenPom Top-100 every season but one with the exception being when they finished 106. By every metric Davidson has firmly established itself in the very highest echelon of the A10. Matt McKillop isn’t getting the keys to a broken down 2010 Toyota Rav 4, he is getting into the driver seat of a luxury car that just had an oil change and tune-up. Additionally, and maybe most critically, the two bedrocks of Davidson’s success besides Bob McKillop himself, The Davidson Motion Offense and International Recruiting Network, aren’t going anywhere. After all, Matt has spent about two decades coaching and playing in that exact system and has either played with or coached almost all of the guys who make up the illustrious recruiting network. It also doesn’t hurt that his own brother is a senior director of International Basketball Operations at the NBA, a job his athletic director used to hold as well.

Of course, Matt McKillop will have growing pains; every new head coach is bound to. But the foundation and structures that Bob McKillop built in his 33 seasons at the helm will give the first-time head coach a long runway to adapt and find his feet. This couple with the experience and quality he possesses, it’s a fool’s errand to bet against Matt McKillop in the long run. Matt McKillop has been preparing for this role seemingly his entire life and now he has his opportunity. That is why I’m excited for this new era of Davidson Basketball.