Collegiate Times

Coaching major college basketball is not a one-man job — cue Ryan Odom.

When Virginia Tech head coach Seth Greenberg looked to hire his assistants four years ago, he looked for Odom. Other than his brother, Greenberg has not known any of his assistants longer.

Greenberg and Odom had an immediate connection 23 years ago. While an assistant at the University of Virginia, Greenberg lived with fellow assistant Dave Odom, Ryan Odom's father.

"In the year that I spent at Virginia, I lived with the Odoms for about a month. Ryan was actually my roommate. I've known Ryan since he was a kid. I know his dad and I know his bloodlines. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

Ryan Odom's father, Dave Odom, is the head coach at South Carolina. Before coaching the Gamecocks, Dave Odom had major success as the head man at Wake Forest. Having coached as long as he has, Dave Odom was taken aback when his youngest son wanted to join the coaching ranks.

"I wouldn't say I was shocked, but I was a little surprised," Dave Odom said about Ryan Odom. "He was interested in becoming a business man, but I really didn't think he would end up being a coach."

When he graduated high school in Winston-Salem, N.C., Ryan Odom had to choose whether to play for his father at Wake Forest or create his own identity at another school. Instead of becoming a walk-on for the Demon Deacons, Odom chose the route of continuing his playing career with Hampden Sidney in Farmville, Va.

He was the starting point guard during all four years for the Tigers, a Division III team. Even though he was not playing big-time college basketball, he still had a taste of top talent with his father's squad, which included current NBA All-Star Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs.

"When I was in college, Tim Duncan was in college at Wake. I would go back and watch practice or something over Christmas," Ryan Odom said. "Tim would always ask me, 'Do you think we could beat you guys?' I would die laughing, 'Yeah Tim, I think you'd beat us.'"

After three seasons of playing college basketball, Ryan Odom was just like any other college student trying to figure out what he wanted to do after graduation. Then it became clear during an internship for The Bank of America in Charlotte.

"I had a great time, and I enjoyed it," Ryan Odom said. "More than anything, it helped me realize that it probably wasn't what I wanted to do. I had been heading in that direction. Until I saw what those people do on a day-to-day basis — I knew it wasn't for me."

Odom followed his heart and his bloodline, right to college coaching.

"I've always been around college basketball," he said. "I'd be lying if I said that I was destined to be a coach. It was kind of what I was most comfortable with."

When he graduated from Hampden-Sidney, he turned to Greenberg, who was head coach at South Florida at the time. Like any good roommate, Greenberg gave him a job as an administrative assistant.

"Ryan has a passion for the game and I know he's loyal to the players and cares," Greenberg said. "He played for good coaches, which makes him someone you want on your staff."

Like any coach starting out, Odom was limited to staying in town instead of recruiting trips and jobs in the office. After one season with the South Florida Bulls, Odom joined the staff at Furman for two seasons, UNC-Asheville for one season and American University for three years.

Then, after Greenberg accepted the job at Virginia Tech, Odom found his way to Tech. After the one season in the Big East with the Hokies, Odom came right back to the same conference he grew up around with his father.

"He grew up at center-court of the ACC," Dave Odom said. "He's hung around the ACC his whole life. He played hoops with Ralph Sampson and Tim Duncan. This conference is where he belongs."

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