New University of Victoria Vikes men’s basketball head coach Murphy Burnatowski, who was announced Friday, might even outclass his own players during one-on-one drills. This guy came up in the junior national team program with the likes of eventual NBA players Cory Joseph, Tristan Thompson and Paris Olympics-bound Kelly Olynyk and looks like he can still go on the court.
“I played with some big-time players. They went to the highest level and I went to pro in Europe,” said Burnatowski, a six-foot-seven forward who won a bronze medal with Canada in junior at the 2008 Under-18 FIBA Americas.
The former national team player, who turns 33 next month, represented Canada as recently as the 2017 AmeriCup in Argentina and played pro up until last year in the CEBL with the Brampton Honey Bears. That was after a decade playing pro overseas in Vietnam, Thailand, Poland, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Cyprus and being named all-Switzerland first team all-star, Euro Basket Bosman player of the year and to the all-Cypriot league defensive team.
“I was part of the second generation after [two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash of Victoria] and just before [the third generation of Canadian NBA players such as Paris Olympics-bound Shai Gilgeous-Alexander],” said Burnatowski.
“I might not have experience in the big chair as head coach but I have a lot of basketball experience,” said Burnatowski, lead assistant coach of the successful Dalhousie University Tigers in Halifax the past four years.
“I have experience from the two different styles. European basketball is about flow and ball movement. North American basketball is based on talent. I feel I can incorporate both styles and use both to our advantage at UVic.”
“We have some big-time players such as [Canada West and U Sports player of the year] Diego Maffia and we will let them shine. We will also be the hardest-working team where the opposition is never comfortable.”
Burnatowski inherits a three-time Canada West-champion UVic team returning most of its players: “We have a chance to really compete next season. But I am also looking to build a program for the next 20 years.”
The native of Waterloo, Ont., played NCAA Div.1 for two seasons each with the University of Maine Black Bears and Colgate University, finishing as captain of the Raiders and all-conference in the Patriot League.
Burnatowski’s wife, Carmen, is a family physician, which may be as big an addition to the Island as a basketball coach.
“That might have been the reason they hired me,” quipped Burnatowski.
The couple have a one-year-old son, M.J.
Burnatowski becomes the sixth head coach in UVic men’s basketball history and replaces 21-season Vikes head coach Craig Beaucamp, who departed to become lead assistant coach at the NCAA Div. 1 University of the Pacific Tigers in the West Coast Conference.
