April 30, 2001
NORFOLK, Va. - Kenny Gattison, the 1986 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and member of the Old Dominion University Sports Hall of Fame has been named assistant coach, as announced today by Blaine Taylor, head men's basketball coach.
Gattison previously served as an assistant coach on John Calipari's staff with the New Jersey Nets from 1996-1998.
"I am very excited with the addition of Kenny Gattison to the Old Dominion University men's basketball program, said Blaine Taylor. " Kenny offers tremendous familiarity with the campus community and the Hampton Roads area. I was drawn to his personal qualities, down to earth approach and feelings about this university and the program."
Gattison played nine years in the NBA averaging 8.0 points and 4.7 rebounds. A six-year member of the Charlotte Hornets, Gattison led the team in field goal percentage in four of his six years, shooting better than 50 percent from the field five times. He enjoyed his best season as a pro in 1991-92, finishing fifth on the Hornets in scoring with a career high 12.7 average.
"I am delighted to be on coach Taylor's staff, " said Gattison. " I always wanted to return to Old Dominion, and this gives me the opportunity to be a part of the university and the Hampton Roads Community. I think the last time I was this excited was when I signed to play here. "
While at Old Dominion, Gattison earned All-Sun Belt Conference honors twice. He still holds the Sun Belt Conference career rebound record of 963 which ranks him fourth all-time at Old Dominion. As a senior, Gattison set the school's field goal percentage mark of .637. He scored a career high 31 points in a win over Rutgers in Madison Square Garden. Gattison also hauled in a career high 18 rebounds in a game against Virginia Commonwealth. He is currently the school's tenth all-time scorer (1623) and fourth all-time rebounder. Gattison was a two-time Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American.
The Wilmington, NC native was selected to the Sun Belt Conference's All- Decade team and was inducted into the Old Dominion University sports Hall of Fame in 1991. His jersey number 44 was retired in 1992. The Monarchs were 80-42 during his four years, reaching two NCAA and two NIT tournaments. The squad reached the Sun Belt finals twice. As a senior, the Monarchs were 23-8 with a 12-2 Sun Belt record. As a number eight seed, Old Dominion defeated West Virginia in the first round before losing to eventual National Champion Duke in the second round. A 1986 graduate of Old Dominion University, Gattison and his wife Wanda, also an Old Dominion alumnae have three sons, Kyle (9), Bryce (7), and Grant (3).