Pat Behan, diagnosed with ALS at 34, continues to contribute to Bucknell basketball as a special advisor to head coach John Griffin III. Despite losing control of his muscles, Behan provides strategic insights and observations to Griffin, impacting the team's performance. His unwavering passion for the game and competitive spirit shine through his unique coaching approach.
WASHINGTON — When Pat Behan watches a Bucknell basketball game, his wife, Nataly, likes to look at his eyes. She can still see the intensity. They dart from his TV to his computer, to his TV, to his computer, as he dictates observations.
His gaze shifted toward the computer. A few seconds later, a monotone voice converted his words from written to spoken:He also wouldn’t do it if Griffin didn’t have big expectations. Bucknell is 8-12, but it’s a team with talent, and Behan, a well-respected former high school basketball coach, knows how to win. So, he sends notes to Griffin before, after, and in between games, with insights on upcoming opponents.On Nov. 27, the message was schematic.
Behan’s monitor began to flash red. A nurse checked his levels, and Nataly covered him with a plaid blanket. It was a false alarm. He searched for YouTube TV, and then ESPN, which was broadcasting Florida-Arkansas at 7 p.m. He needed a break.Griffin met Behan during his official visit to Bucknell in 2005. He was a sophomore, and Behan was in high school, a highly-touted power forward who possessed height and shooting skill.
The teammates became roommates in 2007. They’d watch movies at night, and eat dinner together in the cafeteria. Sometimes they’d argue. Griffin, an alumnus of St. Joseph’s Prep, is an Eagles fan fromyet,” Griffin said. “He reminded me of that every time we came close.” He decided to go into coaching in 2012, following in the footsteps of his father, John Griffin II, who was the men’s head basketball coach at Siena and St. Joe’s in the 1980s and 90s.North PhiladelphiaIn the 1970s, Speedy Morris coached the elder Griffin at Roman Catholic High School. Forty years later, Morris coached Matt and John at the Prep. Under Morris, the team won back-to-back Catholic League championships in 2003 and 2004.
Behan earned his first head coaching job in 2014 at St. Mary’s Ryken High School in Leonardtown, Md. He was unproven but quickly developed a reputation for recruiting top players. When Behan returned to St. John’s as head coach in 2017, their conversations shifted to leadership, messaging, and schemes. Taking over for McAloon, who was widely seen as one of the best coaches in the city, wouldn’t be easy, but Behan managed it seamlessly.“High school basketball is not typically considered a full-time job, even though nowadays it’s become that,” Griffin said. “And Pat was ahead of that curve. He was dedicated full-time to his players’ growth in the offseason.
The ALS Association says 90% of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis cases are diagnosed as sporadic, but 10% are diagnosed as familial, meaning that the disease can be passed genetically. It is a neurological disorder that leads to the degeneration of nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain. ALS does not affect thinking, seeing, or hearing, according to Johns Hopkins University.“His first question was, ‘Are you sure?’” Nataly said.
The score was tied at 63 with 32 seconds left. Behan watched the clock dwindle. He decided not to call a timeout, instead directing his junior guard, Daquon Davis, to drive toward the basket. There was physical and emotional stress, but also financial. Behan needed 24/7 care. Insurance companies would cover the cost of medical equipment, prescriptions, and doctor’s appointments, but not caretakers — and Behan required two at a time.
By the fall of 2024, Griffin decided the time was right. Behan was dealing with fewer emergencies. He was sending texts to Griffin every other day. It was clear he was watching the team closely. So, Griffin called Nataly and Pat, and asked if they’d be open to Behan joining the coaching staff in a unique role.“He was not looking for a pity party,” Griffin said. “And despite his challenges, he wanted to make sure this was real to me. And to us, to our program.
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