On this episode of the Speaking of … College of Charleston podcast, guest host Danny Johnson ’11 (M.P.A. ’21), who serves as the Cougars men’s basketball color analyst, talks to the College’s new head men’s basketball coach, Chris Mack. In the conversation, they discuss Mack’s successful career, his return to coaching after a two-year break and his strategies for building a winning team.

Coach Mack reflects on his upbringing, his enduring passion for basketball and his approach to recruiting and team culture in the changing landscape of college athletics. The conversation also touches on his personal life and his family’s transition to Charleston.

Mack also shares his excitement about leading a historic program and his vision for fostering a strong team community. Listen to the episode to find out what to expect on the basketball court under Mack’s leadership, too!

Some highlights of the conversation include the following:

On his two-year hiatus: “I think anytime that you’ve been involved in anything for as long as I have, and then you’re without it for a couple of years, it gives you a different type of perspective, a different type of hunger. I think a lot of my colleagues are frustrated with the NIL and the portal; and the fact that I was able to be removed for a couple of years was a really good thing for me.”

On building team culture this summer: “We’ve gone paint-balling; and then we’ve had really deep talks, with our players opening up about who they are as people in front of their peers. The goal is to figure out how to bring a group of people together quickly so we can have a successful team.”

On why CofC is the right fit: “I wanted to go to a program that cares about basketball, a community that cares about basketball. … The pride in this program is palpable. You know, when I had my press conference, 400 to 500 people were in Cistern Yard to meet the new coach who they didn’t know from a bucket of paint. So, for me, that’s exciting.”

On camaraderie in athletics: “We have seven international players on our team. I don’t know if you could get a more diverse, eclectic group of guys that are competing for a common goal in any other industry in the world, other than athletics.”

Featured on This Episode: 

Chris Mack, one of just 19 coaches in college basketball history to lead their team to a No. 1 ranking within the first two years at their school, entered the 2024-25 season with a five-year contract as the College of Charleston’s new men’s basketball head coach. The Cincinnati native becomes the eighth head coach in the program’s Division I history. Mack, whose teams have participated in the NCAA Tournament in nine of his 12 seasons as a head coach, returns to coaching collegiate basketball after a two-year hiatus. His 259 victories were the 12th most amassed by a coach in their first 11 seasons.

Danny Johnson ’11 (M.P.A. ’21), after traveling all over the globe for nearly 11 years as a professional basketball player (NBA, NBDL, FIBA-International), retired in 2010. Now the sponsorship coordinator for the Town of Mount Pleasant Recreation Department, Johnson serves as the color analyst for the men’s basketball team at the College of Charleston.

Resources From This Episode: