MaxPreps Photographers/Graphic by SocialRecluse Graphx
It's often said that Michael Jordan could have been the NBA's most valuable player every season during the late 1980s and 1990s, but his consistent greatness was taken for granted when it came time to cast the votes.
In the coaching realm, the same idea could be applied to Gary McKnight of
Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) – the 2013-14 MaxPreps National Boys Basketball Coach of the Year.
McKnight has achieved an unprecedented level of sustained success at the Southern California school culminating with this season's treble of section, state and national titles.
In 32 years at Mater Dei, McKnight has won 31 league titles, 22 Southern Section titles and 11 state crowns. Each of the past 10 Monarch teams have won 30 games or more and the program has finished ranked nationally by MaxPreps every year since 2009.
The 2013-14 Monarchs may go down as McKnight's best club to date. Mater Dei capped a 35-0 season by beating nationally ranked Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland) in the CIF Open Division final, securing the program's fourth state title in a row and a
mythical national title.
Other Mater Dei teams were arguably more talented, but the combination of National Player of the Year
Stanley Johnson (25 points, eight rebounds, three assists per game) and a rotation of one other senior in
Isaiah Juarez, three juniors, three sophomores and a freshman proved to be impossible to beat.
McKnight's career win total stands at 995, which is 13th all-time according to the
NFHS Record Book. Another 30-win season in 2014-15 would put him in the top 10. His career win percentage of .921 is the best in high school basketball history.
And don't even think about beating McKnight on his home court. Since the opening of the Meruelo Athletic Center in 2006, his teams are 87-2 in the facility and currently own a 58-game win streak.
Induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame could be the next major addition to McKnight's sterling resume. He would be just the fourth high school coach to earn that honor.
Assistants under McKnight on the Mater Dei staff include associate head coach Jason Quinn, Bob Serven, Clay McKnight, Jerry DeBusk, Michael Cage, Max Hoskins, Sean Stevenson, Myrond Brown and Chris Abeyta.
See a year-by-year breakdown of his career below the video Gary McKnight at Mater Dei32 years, 995 wins, 11 state titles1982-83 – 29-3
1983-84 – 28-2
1984-85 – 29-0
1985-86 – 30-1
1986-87 – 31-1, State champions
1987-88 – 21-8
1988-89 – 25-3
1989-90 – 34-1, State champions
1990-91 – 25-5
1991-92 – 34-2, State runner-up
1992-93 – 33-2
1993-94 – 33-1
1994-95 – 36-1, State champions
1995-96 – 34-2
1996-97 – 32-3
1997-98 – 21-8
1998-99 – 34-4, State runner-up
1999-00 – 35-1
2000-01 – 33-2, State champions
2001-02 – 29-5, State runner-up
2002-03 – 35-2, State champions
2003-04 – 24-5
2004-05 – 31-4, State runner-up
2005-06 – 33-3, State runner-up
2006-07 – 33-4, State champions
2007-08 – 35-1, State champions
2008-09 – 31-2
2009-10 – 32-2
2010-11 – 32-3, State champions
2011-12 – 34-2, State champions
2012-13 – 34-2, State champions
2013-14 – 35-0, State champions
Past MaxPreps National Coaches of the Year2013 – Quincy Lewis,
Lone Peak (Highland, Utah)2012 – Danny Henderson,
Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas)2011 – Bob Hurley,
St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.)2010 – Ed Azzam,
Westchester (Los Angeles)
