| Marty Gross |
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 | Position: Assistant Coach
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Marty Gross was an assistant basketball coach at Rice for 17 seasons including 15 consecutive years. Below is the final bio written about Gross, penned prior to the 2006-07 season.
Marty Gross, one of the most highly
respected assistant coaches in the
country, enters his 17th season at Rice
and his 15th consecutive year. In his
30th college
season,
Gross has
been
instrumental
in
cultivating
the careers
of 31 pros,
21 from
Rice,
including Mike Wilks of the Seattle
SuperSonics and Brent Scott formerly
of the Indiana Pacers, eight from
Jacksonville, and two from Birmingham
Southern College.
In addition to Rice, Gross also
coached at his alma mater, Jacksonville
University. His first stint at Jacksonville
was from 1981 to 1983. Gross returned
to Jacksonville in 1985 and spent the
next seven years at the campus,
including three seasons as the schools
associate head coach.
In 1985-86, the Dolphins were 21-10,
won the Sun Belt Conference
Championship and made an appearance
in the NCAA tournament. In 1986-87,
the Dolphins were 19-11 and received
an NIT postseason bid.
At Rice, Gross coordinates recruiting
and is involved extensively in all areas of
the day-to-day operations of the men's
basketball program, including fund
raising, player development, community
outreach, scouting, and a daily practice
with a focus on individual and team
defense.
Gross began his collegiate coaching
career at Birmingham-Southern College
with former Chicago Bulls coach
Murray Arnold upon graduating from
Jacksonville in 1977. During his four
years in Birmingham, the Panthers were
103-27, captured three consecutive
Southern States Conference
championships, competed in two
national tournaments and achieved a
national ranking as high as second in
the NAIA polls.
While at Jacksonville, Gross teamed
with former New Jersey Nets coach and
current television color commentator
Bob Wenzel helping nurture the careers
of six Dolphins selected in the NBA
draft. Some of his more notable players
include 1986 second-round draftee Otis
Smith (Denver), 1987 first-round pick
Ronnie Murphy (Portland), 1990 firstround
selection and NBA Slam Dunk
Champion Dee Brown (Boston) and
1992 second-round pick Tim Burroughs
(Minnesota).
Gross was a four-year letterman for
Jacksonville, serving as the team's
captain as a senior in 1977. He also
played on a 1974 Jacksonville NIT
team, which featured four future NBA
draft selections.
He received a B.S. in management
from Jacksonville in 1977, and a M.A.T.
from UAB in 1979. Gross is a native of
Yankton, S.D., where he was an all-state
basketball player as a senior in 1973. He
is a member of the NABC, TABC, and
Saint Martin's Episcopal Church.
Personal: Full Name: Martin Christopher Gross.
Born: Aug. 5, 1955, at Yankton, S.D.
He is married to Mary Pat Nelson.
Education: High School: Yankton Senior High in
Yankton, S.D., 1973.
College: B.S. in management,
Jacksonville University, 1977. M.A.T.,
University of Alabama-Birmingham,
1979.