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June 13, 2009  by Scott Brand

As a former University of Rhode Island (URI) graduate (1983-1987), I wanted to write an article regarding my 25-year working relationship and friendship with former URI head Men’s Basketball Coach Brendan Malone, who is presently an Orlando Magic assistant coach.

Given the timeliness of Brendan Malone’s current affiliation with the perhaps NBA Championship bound Orlando Magic as an assistant coach, I thought you may be interested in reading an article on him and perhaps my continued friendship with him.  Since my dad’s passing last year, I have rejuvenated my long standing friendship with former URI Coach Brendan Malone. 

He has offered me words of remorse since the passing of my father Hal Brand, who he maintained a pen-pal relationship while coaching the Ram’s in the 80’s. And he has also given me career advice on approaching former boss Isaiah Thomas at FIU for a potential job. But most of all he is just plain fun to talk to just like he was in 1987 with Carlton “Silk” Owns and Gavin Scotti as the up and coming coach of a young but surging team after experiencing a series of bite nailing losses in the last seconds.

“We won ugly,” said Malone, after the Magic defeated the Celtics to force a Game 7. “We shot 56% from the foul line, had a 2 to 1 Assist to Turnover ratio, but managed to make the big plays at the end.”

I still get the same “rush” talking to him and believe he should be acknowledged as such in some manner considering it is topical and it is summer and College Basketball news is relatively slow in the Greater Kingston area.

Below is a little synopsis of my continued relationship with Brendan as the assistant manager of the Rhode Island Basketball team and continued friendship.

In the fall of 1983, when the University of Rhode Island announced the
hiring of head men’s basketball coach Brendan Malone, Scott Brand, a URI
freshman and Syracuse University (SU) basketball fan, believed Christmas
arrived early in Kingston, Rhode Island. Being an Orangeman fan his
entire childhood, since his sister attended SU, Scott was well aware of
the Malone legacy.

Malone started his impressive coaching career as head basketball coach of the legendary Power Memorial High School in New York City, which was Kareem Abdul Jabaar’s Alma Mater.  After winning three titles, Malone continued his career path in upstate New York with the Syracuse Orangemen, as an assistant coach and recruiting mastermind. At Syracuse, Malone was known as the man who lured high school sensation Dwayne “Pearl” Washington to play for the Orangemen. Washington, at the time was considered the most highly decorated high school recruit in the nation.

It didn’t take long for Scott to pay Malone a visit at his office in Keaney Gymnasium and introduce himself.  It was a brief meeting and the two traded Orangeman anecdotes. Scott would have volunteered his service that day to Malone’s rebuilding efforts; however, he was a member of the men’s varsity tennis team.  But when the tennis season ended later in the fall, Scott bee-lined to Malone’s offices and rendered his services as an assistant team manager.

Brand interviewing Malone in the New York Knicks locker room in 1989 In his new capacity, Scott quickly gravitated towards the development of sports promotions that were staged to attract fans to the games and ultimately encourage visiting blue-chip high school recruits to sign-on with URI like future stars Kenny Green and John Evans.  A “Slam Dunk Contest, a “Silly Pets Tricks Show,” and a monthly newsletter were just some of Scott’s contributions to the Malone basketball program. During the course of his involvement, Scott developed a strong bond with Malone on both a professional and personal level.  Meanwhile, on the sidelines, Scott’s dad, Hal, started writing Malone letters offering words of encouragement for his challenging rebuilding efforts. Hal was surprised to receive detailed correspondence back from Malone and a pen-pal friendship flourished. 

Fast-forward to Hal’s 70th birthday where Scott produced a video in tribute to his dad reaching this vaulted milestone.  There was never a question in Scott’s mind that Malone would be featured in the video wishing his dad a Happy Birthday. And once again Malone, then Detroit Piston’s assistant basketball coach, rose to the occasion.  Despite the fact that it had been 11-years since Scott had worked with Malone, he still maintained his friendship. Malone reciprocated by producing a video-tape situated in the Detroit Piston press conference facility, where he wished Hal a Happy 70th Birthday.

Through the years, Scott would call Malone on occasion to catch-up and automatically the former Ram coach would faithfully begin the conversation by enquiring about Hal.  On September 7th, 2008, Hal passed away and shortly thereafter, Scott contacted Malone to inform him.  Malone, now an assistant basketball coach for the Orlando Magic, offered Scott his condolences and the two began reflecting on the early 80’s when Malone set the tone for one of the most successful URI basketball teams in history by bringing in notable stars like Carlton Owens, Kenny Green, Tom Garrick, and John Evans. 

After Malone’s departure, the same team he hand-picked, nearly reached the NCAA Final Eight two-years later, upsetting nationally ranked Missouri and Syracuse before falling to Duke by one-point. All those Malone coached one-point losses and his infusion of new recruits created the perfect storm for the Ram’s unlikely run in the 1987 season. 

Scott was surprised and flattered to learn that Malone had only been in contact with two other people affiliated with the URI basketball program since his departure nearly 25-years ago.  And Brand was in good company with URI stars Tom Garrick and Kenny Green as the three people to maintain contact with the former Rhody coach. Scott felt proud hearing that from his life-long role-model, but unfortunately this time it was bitter-sweet since he could not share the news with his best-friend Hal.