Matt Gatens is in his fourth season on the Drake men's basketball coaching staff and third season as an assistant coach.
The former University of Iowa standout spent the previous two seasons as the Bulldogs' director of operations and helped guide the team to the 2018-19 Missouri Valley Conference title and back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since 1971 and third time in program history.
Prior to joining the Bulldogs, Gatens was on staff at Auburn, where he assisted in travel, development, scouting, video and camps for the Southeastern Conference Champions. Gatens also aided in the development of the team’s guards, including All-SEC selections Bryce Brown and Jared Harper.
Gatens was a four-year starter at guard for Iowa where he scored 1,635 career points, the sixth most in Iowa history, and averaged 12.8 points per game while averaging 2.3 rebounds per game. He was just the second Iowa player to record 1,600 points, 450 rebounds, 250 assists and 125 steals in a career. Gatens was a two-time All-Big Ten selection and two-time team captain.
Following his Hawkeye career, Gatens played professionally in France, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine. He returned to the United States to play for the Iowa Energy in the NBA Development League, but he suffered a torn ACL just five quarters into the 2016-17 season to end his playing career.
An Iowa City, Iowa, native, Gatens was named Iowa’s ‘Mr. Basketball’ and the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior at Iowa City High School. He led the team to a 4A state title as a senior in 2008 and holds the City High record for career scoring.
Gatens and his wife, Erin, are the parents of a son, Nash, and daughter, Noa.
