Steve Hamer
photo by James Boofer
I had the honor of sitting down with former Vol Steve Hamer to get his thoughts of his new promotion, his faith, and his new role at UT. Hamer, who played basketball on the Hill from 1992-1996 before being drafted by the Boston Celtics, is enjoying his new position as Director of Letterwinner Relations at the University of Tennessee.
A perfect fit for a man that loves Tennessee basketball and is successfully bridging the gap between the current administration and former players.
Hamer, from Grand Junction, Tennessee grew up dreaming of playing for the Louisville Cardinals but a chance meeting with famous Louisville star Pervis Ellison, who just happened to be on the UT campus, changed his mind. “I chose Tennessee primarily because on my official visit, here of all places, I ran into a gentleman by the name of “Never Nervous” Pervis Ellison and he told me he wanted me to play for Tennessee not Louisville. That one visit changed my mind, and I became a Tennessee Volunteer fan becoming very much enamored with University of Tennessee Athletics. Not many people know that story.”
When I asked Steve about Coach Kevin O’Neill, his response was exactly what I expected it to be. “I’m not sure I can say everything that there is to say about Coach O’Neill but he’s a different kind of character to say the least. I learned a lot from him, I really did, it’s just that he had a different way to disseminate information. A lot of colorful language which everyone knows about, but he was a great coach, he knew the game, and he knew the x’s and o’s. I do think that had he had a different personality, maybe his message would have been received a little bit better here in Knoxville. I think it was a square peg in a round hole, it just wasn’t going to fit, and I think he wore out his welcome. I did learn a lot from him, however. I learned that at the heart of it all, he really wanted me to be a better player. He helped me to go on and play at the next level.” Hamer was the 38th player picked in the 2nd round of the 1996 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. He appeared in 35 games and started three games for them that season.
Another man from that era Steve and I talked about was the legendary voice of the Vols, John Ward. “John was so gracious and so kind to everyone. It was a blessing and a privilege to have known someone like John Ward. For a man of his stature to take a liking to a man from Grand Junction, Tennessee and always mention my hometown on the broadcast, I mean I didn’t deserve that.”
Steve, a very humble man, certainly takes great pride in his position at UT but he says his job is not the most important part of his life. “God has been so incredibly good to me, and I am nothing without him. He has ordered my steps from the very beginning. Church is the most important part of my life. That is where I get plugged in each Sunday and every Wednesday. It is God’s grace and mercy that we receive every single day that makes me so incredibly thankful. My Wife and I and our two oldest children sing in the church choir, and we are so thankful, God has been faithful to me. It is the leadership of that church that is the reason I am where I am and I’m where I’m supposed to be.”
Although Church is the most important part of his life, Steve is very grateful for the opportunities given to him by his alma mater. “To be on this team again, albeit now in an official capacity, I am so grateful. I’ve been here since December 16, 2019, and it means a great deal to me. I am very thankful to be working here.”
A star player for the Vols his senior year, he talked about how the game has changed since his playing days on Rocky Top. “Tennessee basketball much like all the other schools, has really changed over the course of time. Back when I played, every team had a 7-footer posting up with his back to the basket. For the most part, every basketball team had a big guy that you ran the offense through, now a days, if you are 6’10 and you can’t shoot the three, there’s no use for you. That’s where things have changed so very much. Coach Barnes is really a stalwart, an old school guy that still has a big guy with their back to the basket like Uros but those are few and far between. I don’t know if I could play in today’s game because I don’t shoot the three. Regardless of size, I think that most guys when they walk into the gym, the first thing they want to do is go behind the 3-point line and shoot the three. There’s not an in between game, the fifteen foot and in, the jump shot, those days are gone. I am hoping that sort of basketball will be back in style one day, but I don’t have high hopes for that."
Steve mentions the transfer portal as another reason that college basketball looks so different than the game he knew. “The transfer portal has changed the game of college basketball tremendously. The portal in this new economy if you will, alongside the NIL, is here to stay. Once the toothpaste has been removed from the tube, you can’t put it back in, there’s no going back. It is here to stay, and I think it’s good for college athletics if it is used in the right way. I think that a lot of student athletes get bad advice. When I was there, you stuck it out. You knew that you were going to have some problems but if you stuck it out, good things are going to come. You couldn’t just leave just because your told by a coach that you aren’t working hard enough, or another guy is better than you. You can’t just say I’m out of here, I’m going to leave. I do love the fact however that the kids have freedom, and they have the liberty to go and try another school and see it works out. If they are smart, at the end of the day, it empowers our student athletes to be able to make great decisions.
Hamer thinks for the time being Tennessee basketball is in good hands and he praises coach Rick Barnes on successfully navigating the new college landscape. “I love Coach Barnes! I admire him for not only the coach that he is but also the person that he is as well. He has had a hall of fame career and is one of the best coaches that has ever done it. He is also one of the best people in this business. It takes a special individual to do it as long as he’s done it. He does things the right way, he’s a man of integrity, he’s a man of character and a man of Christian faith. You’re not going to find a bigger fan of Coach Barnes than Steve Hamer.”
Things are looking up on Rocky Top these days and I believe it is a direct result of great leadership on the Hill. UT looks to have hired the right coaches at the right time to move this program forward and with guys like Steve Hamer working with the VFL’s, the future looks bright on Rocky Top.