Washington Wizards veteran forward Anthony Gill will be taking on a new task when he’s not representing the team on the NBA hardwood. A rising NCAA Division I school has enlisted Gill’s help to guide and develop the program.
Wizards Veteran Takes Advising Role At Rising D1 Program
Gill will be taking on the Men’s Basketball Chief Basketball Advisor role at a school relatively close to the DMV. In Lynchburg, Virginia, a new school under head coach Ritchie McKay’s guidance is on the rise in the basketball realm: Liberty University. At the surface, this signing is good. When you take a deeper dive, though, this hire is rooted in a bond between a coach and player. Gill and McKay go way back, and Gill says he owes McKay a whole lot.
Player-Coach Relationship
So, what’s the relationship between Gill and McKay? It all started back in 2012, when Gill transferred from the University of South Carolina to the University of Virginia to play under legendary coach Tony Bennett. McKay had recently finished his first coaching stint with the Flames (2007-2009) and was an assistant under Bennett when Gill arrived.
McKay was an active part of Gill’s recruitment, and the two spent three seasons together in Charlottesville. When Gill was asked about his relationship with McKay, Gill said:
“Coach McKay plays a huge part in the man I am today. Now that I have an opportunity to work alongside him, I am truly honored. He redirected my life my freshman year of college. Now I have the chance to walk alongside him in shaping lives for God’s glory.”
However, Gill isn’t the only one doing the praising in the relationship. When McKay was asked about Gill’s addition to the program, he had this to say:
“I’m extremely excited about the addition of Anthony Gill to our basketball family! Having recruited, coached and developed an incredibly authentic relationship with Anthony and Jenna, I can tell you they are a fabulous addition to our program. They are unbelievable representatives of their families and will great representatives for our family and university as well. On every team he’s been a part of, he’s modeled what it means to be a great teammate and fully invested.”
The New C-USA Powerhouse
McKay returned to Liberty in 2015. Since then, he has slowly been building a very strong program in the heart of Virginia. He’s led the team to nine straight winning seasons, with a record of 234-106 since he retook control of the program. Liberty, just two seasons ago, made the jump to Conference USA. However, before that, the Flames were dominating the Atlantic Sun Conference.
McKay and the Flames won five straight regular-season championships after joining the A-Sun in 2018. Additionally, the team won three straight conference tournament championships and had two NCAA Tournament appearances before jumping to C-USA in 2023.
While their first season was rough, the Flames left a mark on the conference last season. They won both the regular season and conference tournament championships and made their third NCAA Tournament appearance in the last seven years.
The program is stronger than ever before and is looking to get even better in the next few seasons. Just in the last two months, Liberty has secured two four-star recruits. One, 2026 guard Eli Sancomb, is the highest-rated commit in the program’s history. The second, 2027 guard Ty Cobb, is a fellow four-star recruit who was named the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association’s (TSSAA) Class 3A Mr. Basketball this past season.
The Last Word
Liberty University is in great hands with Ritchie McKay and Anthony Gill steering the wheel. Taking this position will be a shift, but Gill will make a huge impact on the Flames roster. With both McKay’s coaching abilities and Gill’s knowledge of the game, the duo seems poised to build a real powerhouse in Lynchburg.
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