The Blair County Sports Hall of Fame - 2016

INDUCTEE PROFILE

Bower climbed ladder all the way to NBA

Student of the game

As general manager of the New Orleans Hornets, Jeff drafted and coached him, too.

By Neil Rudel inside, the lines, and it was Jim Pfingstler, the Tigers’ basketball Altoona Mirror that realization that started his coach at the time, introduced Bower. “By this time, I had this happen a etroit Pistons General journey from student manag- Manager dozen times — kids that want to help D er on the Saint Francis men’s out,” Magarity said. “I said, ‘Sure, come laughed when it was sug- basketball team, in 1979, to by,’ and they’d show up for a couple gested that his high school the highest level of the game. days, and they’d disappear.” Bower’s reliability became his coaches felt he was better in During his senior year at Holli- hallmark. football than basketball. daysburg Area High School, Bower “This kid wouldn’t go away,” decided to attend Saint Francis with “I don’t know if I was con- Magarity said. “He’s at every practice. the idea that he’d try to get involved I had given him all the mailouts and sidered better at anything,” in some capacity — any capacity — stuffing envelopes. By the time he was he said. with the Red Flash program. a sophomore, he was traveling with Bower was sure, however, The guest speaker at Hollidays- us. He was just a reliable kid, and his burg’s all-sports banquet that year was that his path to stay in sports basketball acumen was clearly good.” , who was completing his would be outside, rather than first season as the Flash’s head coach. (Continued on page 32)

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(Continued from page 31) Bower helped lead the transition in 2002 from Charlotte to New Orleans, At one point, Magarity — himself and in the summer of 2005, more adver- just 28 years old and the nation’s sity came when Hurricane Katrina hit, youngest head coach when he and the team moved for two seasons to succeeded Pete Longeran — found City, predating the Thunder. himself in Bower’s dorm room. “The theme that went through all “I’ll never forget this,” he said. “For the those guys, the West and the Paul some reason, he took me into his dorm eras in New Orleans, they understood room, and he had every basketball book they were part of something bigger imaginable — Dean Smith and Bobby than themselves,” Bower said. “When Knight. I said, ‘Have you read all these?’’’ we were forced to go to OKC because Bower nodded. of Katrina, only the right type of guys “He had more books than I did,” would have handled that kind of up- Magarity said. “His junior and senior year, heaval and chaos and then go back to he was running practices with me.” New Orleans and play a role in giving a The only thing that didn’t impress little bit of a rest from the cleanup.” Magarity was Bower’s driving ability. After the Hornets advanced to the During the 1980-81 season, the Western Conference semifinals and lost Flash had just won at George Wash- to San Antonio in seven games in 2008, ington, and Magarity was speaking at Jeff graduated Hollidaysburg Area Bower finished third in the NBA execu- an alumni event after the game. The High School in 1979. He was a member tive of the year voting behind house- team returned to Loretto, and Bower of the basketball and football teams. hold names (Boston) and stayed with Magarity for the function. (Lakers). “I had made that run from D.C. his reputation among his peers, and by “Jeff not only understands the a million times,” Magarity said. “I drive 1995, the NBA was taking notice. game and talent, but he understands almost all the way. We get to Breeze- Bower was offered a position as character and chemistry and how it wood, and I’m really tired so I say, an advance scout by the Charlotte relates to the team,” , ‘Can you get us home?’ We switch Hornets, where he worked with Bob the Pistons’ team president and head places, and I sort of nod off, and all of Bass, and Allan Bristow. coach, said. “He’s always able to make a sudden, I hear this noise, and he’s There were late nights and early flights, the best out of whatever situation is asleep at the wheel — and we’re but the taxing travel didn’t deter him. handed to him. What really impressed going through a cornfield.” Dave Cowens was the head me and why I wanted him here was Magarity told his young assistant coach and when he was let go, Paul the job he did in New Orleans in turn- “Stop the car!” and Bower said, “I’m Silas took over, and Bower was pro- ing their roster around. He was able to sorry, Coach.’’’ moted to assistant coach. transform a roster and a culture, which That was about the only time Bow- “Bob Bass was a tremendous is what we had to do here.” er gave Magarity cause for concern. influence as far as learning the busi- In 2009-10, Bower coached the The two separated in 1983, Magar- ness and giving me opportunities and Hornets, taking over for , ity going to Iona and Bower landing responsibilities,” Bower said. and posted a 34-39 record before on Bruce Parkhill’s staff at Penn State. The Hornets’ director of scouting “That was my first coaching job from 1979-2009, out of college,” Bower said. “Bruce was Bower ascended the head coach, and Jerry to the Hornets’ Dunn were the assistants. That was a general man- great staff and an incredible oppor- ager position, tunity for me to learn from guys who actually holding Sport: Basketball were all successful head coaches.” it twice, in 2002- High school: Hollidaysburg Area When Magarity was named 03 and from College: Saint Francis Marist’s head coach in 1986, he said 2005-10. Hall of Fame achievement: The current Bower “was the guy I wanted to bring Among the general manager of the with me. He’s always had a great feel players he draft- and past GM and head coach of the for the game, and he’s a very good ed or traded for New Orleans Hornets, Jeff has coached teacher. He really grew those three include Baron in since 1979 and, with years at Penn State, and once we got Davis, Chris Paul, the exception of one year as Marist’s to Marist, he hit the ground running.” , J.R. head coach (2013-14), he’s been in the It wouldn’t be long until Bower’s Smith and Peja NBA since 1995. attention to detail, eye for talent and Stojakovic. Current residence: Oakland, Mich. meticulous scouting reports had grown - 32 - Bower bio The Blair County Sports Hall of Fame - 2016 returning to his GM duties and later Jeff was a substitute and probably parting company with the organiza- didn’t get to play as much as he tion in the summer of 2010. I think Jeff’s as good a would have liked, but he worked hard He remained close to the game, basketball person as there and contributed. If a kid isn’t playing through scouting and maintaining first string today, it’s not as worth it for relationships, and after a one-season is in this league, and he’s them to be on the team. stint as Marist’s head coach in 2013, done most of the jobs. We “It wasn’t that way with Jeff. He Van Gundy brought Bower to the really loved the game and stuck with Pistons a year later. are really, really lucky to it — and now it’s paid off.” The two had known each other have him.” Though he’s no longer coach- nearly 30 years, dating back to when ing side-by-side by Magarity, Bower SVG was an assistant at Fordham. – Stan Van Gundy remains closely in touch. “I was always impressed with “I wouldn’t be involved in basket- his work ethic and his knowledge of late John Wiberg in basketball and ball if it wasn’t for him and the intro- the game,” Van Gundy said. “He is Tom Irwin and Harold Price in football. ductions and opportunities that he extremely organized and has a very “Both of my football coaches gave to me and the influence he had even demeanor. He’s always on to have already been brought into the on me,” he said. what needs to be done next. I’m Hall of Fame,” Bower said. “That hasn’t Bower’s parents, Paul and Miriam, more emotional so he’s been a good been lost on me. Both were very dif- have passed away, but he said, “They balance. I think Jeff’s as good a bas- ferent. I can still hear Tom Irwin talking would really be honored and happy ketball person as there is in this league, about counting on your teammates, about this.” and he’s done most of the jobs. We and (saying) ‘the first thing that we He certainly is. are really, really lucky to have him.” have to do was become a team be- “I’m deeply humbled,” he said. High praise, indeed, coming fore you can be a good team.’ That’s “It’s an honor I would not have ex- from one of the royal families of NBA stuck with me at every level. pected or feel I necessarily belong. coaches. “And coach Price wanted to do I know the names of past individuals While Bower is appreciative of his things right, over and over and over, ev- who have been a part of it. I always current position, induction into the Blair ery day, and the value that can create.” thought it was something unique and County Sports Hall of Fame has made Once Bower got to Marist, Pfings- special. To me, there’s no greater hon- him brought him back to his roots. tler and Wiberg used to drive to or — more for the chance to recog- Along with friends Bill Waryck, Poughkeepsie and spend several days nize all the people who helped me.” Brian Schmitt and Greg Griffith, he re- watching practice. That includes his wife, Lisa, a for- members honing his game in the alley Wiberg passed away in Octo- mer trainer for the WNBA’s Charlotte behind his house on Jones Street and ber — “one of the most unique men Sting, and their 12-year-old daughter, sneaking into the gym at St. Mary’s you’ve ever been around in his ability Lindsey. School in Hollidaysburg. to make an impact with so few words, “When I see something or I’m “It all depended if the doors were and they were never about himself,” talking to my daughter or my wife chained tight or not,” he said. Bower said — and Pfingstler is assisting about things she may be going He remembers Pfingstler and Dick his son-in-law in the Brockway program. through in school, I think of the influ- Gooderham running an open gym in “I just used Jeff as an example,” ences I had growing up,” he said. “I the summer and junior high coaches Pfingstler said earlier this season. “We only hope people can touch her like Glenn Stevens and Herb Groce. had a couple kids walk off and quit. they did me.” “I’m so lucky,” Bower said. “I realize what an advantage I had because of where I came from and who I grew up around and who I was influenced by. I had a great family, a great school with great teachers and coaches that cared about you. I had people who were disciplinarians. Every step along the way, I had people helping me for no benefit to themselves. I was always surrounded by people that values mattered and compromises weren’t accepted — and that is an advan- tage I had that isn’t always available to young people.” Jeff (far left), under the tutelage of Dave Magarity at Saint Francis and Marist, When he got to high school, he blossomed into an NBA coach and general manager. He now works for Stan Van was mentored by Pfingstler and the Gundy (right) in Detroit.

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