CLEVELAND — For the record, Mike Gansey takes none of the credit in helping the Cleveland Cavaliers organization put together Sunday’s Cleveland Classic game between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 22 West Virginia.
That won’t stop Cleveland’s assistant general manager — and former WVU standout guard — from sitting courtside.
“I bought two courtside seats for, like, $125 each, which I thought was a pretty good deal,” Gansey said Saturday, while on the road in Minnesota, where the Cavaliers played the Timberwolves. “I think there are a lot of interesting match-ups in this game. I can’t wait to be there.”
Yes, even the Cavs assistant GM had to buy tickets for the game.
A member of Cleveland’s organization since 2011 — first as a scout, before getting promoted to the Cavs’ G League front office and then to Cleveland’s assistant GM in 2017 — Gansey still regularly follows the Mountaineers.
“I just didn’t have a good feeling watching that St. John’s game,” he said of the Mountaineers’ only loss this season. “They’ve played pretty good up to this point. I think they’ve played down to the competition some. That’s what I can’t wait to see against Ohio State: Can they play up to that level of competition?”
Gansey’s plan is to be on the first plane out of Minnesota Sunday morning to be in the arena by the noon tip-off.
It’s just a small slice of life always on the run as an assistant GM in the NBA.
That life got a little more interesting in May, when the Cavaliers hired his former WVU coach, John Beilein, as Cleveland’s head coach.
The irony is not lost on Gansey that he was called into Beilein’s office many times as a WVU player and he now signs Beilein’s paychecks.
“In that aspect, I guess it’s kind of funny how life can turn out sometimes,” Gansey said. “Our conversations about basketball have certainly changed. He used to call me into his office to yell at me for missing free throws. Now we talk about trying to help a young NBA team to mature and navigate it through a pretty tough schedule.”
The Cavaliers (9-22) have struggled in Beilein’s first season and the team recently traded one of it’s top guards in Jordan Clarkson to the Utah Jazz.
“It’s been fun, even though I don’t always see him as much, because I’m out on the road or something,” Gansey said. “I call or text him all the time. Talking to him about basketball again has been fun.
“I think for him, it’s been tough, because he’s not used to losing this many games. At the same time, he’s always been good at seeing the bigger picture. We’re still early in our rebirth, so to speak. Hopefully we’ll get another good pick in the draft and we’ll build through the draft without skipping any steps.”
The Cleveland Classic is the latest example of NBA teams searching to increase revenue streams by hosting college games.
Duquesne and Marshall will also play in the Classic following the WVU-Ohio State game.
According to the game’s contract signed in November of 2018, both Ohio State and West Virginia will earn $50,000 as an appearance fee. The Cleveland organization keeps all proceeds from tickets and concessions sales.
“Cleveland has been good to us. That northeast area of Ohio has been good to us,” WVU head coach Bob Huggins said. “The exposure there does nothing but help us. That was my reason for doing the game.
“We get other offers, but we’ve given up a home game to do this, as has (Ohio State). I think the positive is the exposure in Northeast Ohio. If it’s at a place we actively recruit, I think it’s a good thing. If it’s not in a place we don’t actively recruit, why do it?”
For Gansey, it’s a rare opportunity to simply enjoy a game as a fan.
“To me, this game has the feel of where the winner moves on to the Sweet 16,” he said. “I think West Virginia really has to limit its turnovers and play well on defense. I’m excited to see what the turnout will be. I hope there’s plenty of West Virginia fans to root on the Mountaineers.”
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