Q&A: New WCC Commissioner Stu Jackson weighs in on conference realignment, Mark Few’s run at Gonzaga

LAS VEGAS – It was a full Monday for newly-appointed West Coast Conference Commissioner Stu Jackson.

Jackson shook hands and shared visions for the WCC during a news conference at Orleans Arena Monday morning, but he was unable stay for the slate of semifinal games that followed later the same day in Las Vegas.

Until April 24, when he’s officially sworn as the WCC’s commissioner, Jackson still has obligations to the Big East Conference, where he’s currently serving as the executive associate commissioner of men’s basketball.

Jackson spent the morning in Vegas and flew to New York later in the day as the Big East prepares for its own conference tournament at Madison Square Garden.

In a conversation with The Spokesman-Review Monday morning, Jackson discussed Gonzaga’s future with the WCC, Mark Few’s two-plus decade run with the Bulldogs, the importance of diversity hiring in college basketball and getting his coaching start at Washington State in the 1980s.

Spokesman-Review: While you were working as an executive vice president of the NBA, you were in charge of imposing disciplinary measures for misconduct by players and coaches. I heard you had to call Dan Dickau after his scuffle with Caron Butler …

Stu Jackson: I was shocked that he actually got into a situation like that but it happens. Caron’s just a terrific human being and so is Dan. That’s not usually what came across my desk. I remember that one well.

S-R: Dan’s not much of a fighter …

Jackson: No, no. Caron is but Caron’s got a lot of leadership skills and values. His ability to stay on the floor and compete. That was a shocker.

S-R: As Gonzaga continues to have conversations with other conferences and examines its future, what does the WCC have to do to ensure it’s a viable option?

Jackson: I think first of all, Gonzaga has such a long history of success that it’s no surprise particularly in this landscape the last five years that people have courted them and it’s no surprise Gonzaga would listen. If I were them I’d listen, particularly in this landscape. Where we stand today, they’re obviously a valuable member of our conference, the gold standard and as we sit here in real time, they’re a member of the WCC. I don’t get the sense they’re going anywhere anytime soon. That doesn’t mean the conversations will cease but if I can offer an opinion, it’s been a positive experience for them. But in terms of retaining them, as a conference we have to continue to get better. That means in areas of competition, scheduling, continuing to within reason improve facilities and strive to be where Gonzaga is. I would tell you finally, my sense from the presidents is they’re committed to doing that. So it won’t happen overnight but over the next several years you’ll see improvement and perhaps Gonzaga at that point, staying might be more beneficial than leaving.

S-R: You mentioned geography being a reason your former conference, the Big East, struggled to form a scheduling alliance with the Pac-12. Gonzaga has entertained conversations with the Big-12 and Big East. Do you think geography would be a substantial hurdle in those scenarios?

Jackson: It remains to be seen, but we’ve got an example before us with UCLA and SC going to the Big Ten. My concern would be the effect on student-athletes. You’re talking multiple sports and traveling that distance and loss of class time and wear and tear in an era where student-athlete mental health and wellness are paramount. I have trouble sort of jiving with that. It has to be a consideration if you’re one of those two schools. Perhaps its’ doable and it becomes reasonable, but I have to see it.

S-R: What’s the most impressive aspect of what Mark Few’s done at Gonzaga the last two-plus decades?

Jackson: I don’t know, do you want to go to lunch and talk about it? I get the fact if I’m in the Gonzaga fan base, this year hasn’t been at the elite, elite level they’ve been in years past, but they’re still one of the elite programs in the country. If I’m Mark Few, not being a No. 1 seed this year, it’s not all bad. Because if you’re not a No. 1 seed you get to fly a little more under the radar so to speak and the probability of winning your first NCAA game is pretty high. Then in any season, whether you’re No. 1 and No. 5 it’s all about the matchup you get in the second round on one day’s preparation and that’s where it starts to get dicey. That would be true if they were a No. 1 seed or No. 3 seed.

S-R: The other programs in the WCC may not be catching up to Gonzaga per se, but the conference sent three teams to the NCAA Tournament last year and the bottom of the league seems to be better than it’s been in a long time.

Jackson: I’ll tell you what I do know, the middle of the conference has really strengthened. I think case in point, LMU beating both the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in this tournament. If you believe in progression, there’s going to be a trickle down effect. It was just Gonzaga, then it was Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s and now we’re able to throw a couple more schools at least in the competitive mix. Does that mean it will trickle down to the schools that haven’t had as much success? I think so, because the bar is there.

S-R: You mentioned scheduling as an area the WCC needs to grow. What does that look like?

Jackson: It’s helpful when a conference does that. There’s a delicate balance, you never want to take away a coach’s ability to schedule because they do it better than anyone. But the role the conference can play is just give that a little bit of an impetus to make it stronger if you at some point down the road are able to have alliances with other conferences that makes sense, that may even marginally strengthen your schedule. Because every little bit helps.

S-R: A few days ago, you posted a story about the Big East’s track record when it comes to diversity hires. How important is that to you and will it be something you hope to shine a light on in the WCC?

Jackson: I applaud Gloria Nevarez and the conference for the Bill Russell rule. I think it’s just a terrific initiative and it would be my personal hope, and this is my personal feeling, that a focus on diversity in our coaches in all sports – not just basketball – increases, because what we’ve found in the Big East is that it’s just all about opportunity. It really is. Ed Cooley’s at Fairfield and gets an opportunity to go to Providence and has built a program in the Big East that’s become dare I say, somewhat iconic. Shaka Smart at Marquette, when they were making a decision they had high -level quality candidates, but they chose him. I think going into next season they’re going to be one of the top 5-10 programs in the country. You can go down the line in our conference and it has a good feel. I think like in the WCC, the schools in the Big East are in metropolitan markets and like in the Big East, diverse metropolitan markets. Hopefully you get a qualified candidate that makes sense to make a hire like that. Big East has done that.

S-R: Before I let you go, I need to hear about your time as an assistant coach at Washington State in the 1980s …

Jackson: That was my first full-time job, it was interesting. At the time I used to run a lot, like jog, and my first winter there, I would go out in the mornings or the evenings, when I would take evening runs after the snow I felt like I was on the moon. It was beautiful, don’t get me wrong. Beautiful landscape, but different. So, yeah but I enjoyed it.