RICHMOND, Va. — New VCU head coach Phil Martelli Jr. is quickly learning what it means to be part of the Rams program just months into his tenure.
Martelli, who joined VCU after coaching at Bryant College, told me he's been impressed by the level of community support for the program.
"I knew that it was a passionate, knowledgeable fan base. I didn't realize to what level that passion and that knowledge goes to. It's really been super exciting to be around that," Martelli said.
The new coach has been busy assembling his team through the transfer portal, bringing in nine new faces including transfers from UConn, Oregon and LSU. Despite the challenges of modern college basketball's constant player movement, Martelli feels comfortable with the process.
"Now it's very different, right? It's guys transferring up, it's guys transferring across levels. It's guys transferring for various reasons. Some are for playing time, some are for money, some are for all these different things. And I just have a comfort in it, like it's not something that scares me," Martelli said. "Unfortunately, that revolving door is not going anywhere, but at a place like VCU, that slows down quite a bit, because this is a destination type place."
Family connections run deep in Martelli's coaching staff, with his brother Jimmy serving as an assistant coach.
"It's huge. Jimmy's knowledge of VCU, his knowledge of Richmond and the surrounding area is invaluable. But the way that he goes about his business, how organized he is, how detailed he is, you know, all the things that are really important to me, he's got all those qualities. And he's a monster on the recruiting trail," Martelli said.
When asked what he would change about college basketball, Martelli offered a potentially controversial take.
"This one won't make me super, super popular with a lot of people, but I would eliminate the charge altogether. I would eliminate the charge make it more like the NBA, where it's more at the rim and plays at the rim," Martelli said.
The coach also believes college basketball will soon shift from two halves to four quarters to align with other levels of the game.
Martelli shared a personal connection to VCU, recalling how the university honored his grandfather after his passing during a game years ago.
"I very much knew about that story that meant a lot to all of us. That was a really hard time. My grandfather, Pop, he was at every practice. He went on every road trip. So he's always with us. He's always in our spirit," Martelli said.
That memory helped confirm for Martelli that VCU was the right opportunity.
"100% Yeah 100%. I mean, that's and that has been solidified every day that I've been here. There were other phone calls that just were like, 'Yeah, that's not, I'm not.' But when this call came, it was you didn't even have to think about it. You just reacted like 'Yes,' and that's been the right decision all the way through," Martelli said.
Martelli is particularly looking forward to facing Rhode Island this season, which will serve as a homecoming for him and his family given their ties to nearby Bryant College.
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