Phil Cunningham, the ULM men’s basketball coach, is in his first year as head coach, but in his second year at ULM. Cunningham served time at several schools, including James Madison University, Mississippi State University and Troy University. As he takes on this role at ULM, Cunningham wants to continue his streak of successful coaching.
Cunningham has made it to the NCAA tournament a total of eight times, six at Mississippi St., one at Western Kentucky and one at Troy. He has proven success at every institution he’s been at and has big expectations for ULM.
In an interview with the Hawkeye, Cunningham stated, “Here at ULM, I think it’ll take a year or two to really figure out how to build the roster the right way. Injuries have made me rethink some things—maybe we needed a couple more older guys—but I think we can compete quickly.”
Cunningham has also been known in the coaching world as a very good recruiter. In his time at Mississippi State, Cunningham was the lead recruiter in getting players such as Monta Ellis, a very well-known NBA player who spent most of his time with the Warriors. Cunningham also recruited Jarvis Varnado and Jamont Gordon, who aren’t as well known but are two of the most decorated players in MSU history.
In his time at Troy, Cunningham brought in Wesley Person Jr. and Jordan Varnado. Person was voted to the All-Sun Belt team (the second most in NCAA history), won the 2015 SBC Freshman of the Year and is the all-time leading scorer in Troy History. Varnado was voted to the All-Sun Belt team a total of three times and is Troy’s second all-time leading scorer. Both of these players are considered the two best players in Troy men’s basketball history. With all of these players coming from Cunningham’s recruiting, it shows the developmental skills and recruiting knowledge that he brings to the table here at ULM.
When asked about his coaching style, Cunningham stated, “I try to be very positive. I don’t want to be negative or lead by fear—that’s not who I am. I want to be honest and hold players accountable, but in a positive way. I’m energetic and competitive. I’m not a big talker; I believe in showing it through work ethic and competitiveness. I want our team to reflect that—play hard, stay humble, and get it done the right way.”
The ULM men’s basketball team is currently 1-3 on the season, and with many more games to go, we will see if Cunningham and the Warhawks can stay competitive through injuries this season. The Warhawks will travel over to Morehead St. on Nov. 22, to try and get back in the win column and get some momentum going.
