Memories of father always motivate Musselman

Trojans coach turns to guidance from his late mentor, especially during rough spells.

- By Ryan KARTJE

ERIC MUSSELMAN, shown in December, said he felt the presence of his father, Bill, on a trip to Minnesota.

(GINA FERAZZI Los Angeles Times)

Two days after USC lost to Michigan State by 29, the ‘Trojans were already in Minneapolis, the third leg of a brutal three-game road swing. It was a stop of deep significance to coach Eric Musselman.

Minnesota, after all, was where his father, Bill Musselman, got his big break as a basketball coach. He coached in Minneapolis for four seasons and, in 1972, brought the Golden Gophers their first Big Ten title in 53 years.

“The building was sold out,” Musselman recalled proudly last week. “And then the hockey arena was sold out because of the extra people that wanted to come to games. They'd have to watch it on closed-circuit TV.”

Musselman saw it all up close at a young age — the highs and the lows of being a college coach. That time spent watching those Golden Gopher teams probably served as the foundation for his own career coaching basketball. Today, 25 years after his father died, it still feels that way to Musselman, whose career has followed an eerily similar path to his late father’s.

“I don’t think he did a very good job teaching me anything other than [basketball],” Musselman joked.