Canton Charge Name Alex Jensen as Head Coach



General Manager Wes Wilcox and Head Coach Alex Jensen
photo by Hall of Fame Huddle


     The Canton Charge have chosen their leader, former Utah Mr. Basketball and University of Utah standout Alex Jensen. Jensen has paid his dues in the basketball world. He played four years at Utah under Rick Majerus, where he was conference player of the year in 2000. Jensen also played in the 1998 Final four, advancing to the championship game. He spent four months in the CBA and 7 years overseas playing in Turkey, Spain and Japan. Alex's career came full circle when he joined Rick Majerus again in Saint Louis, this time as an assistant coach. Coach Jensen credits Majerus for everything he knows about basketball, as a player and coach. Amid reports that Coach Majerus wasn't happy about Jensen leaving, Coach Jensen said Majerus was the first person he called and he gave him all the best wishes. It's understandable that the timing was bad for a coaching change for Saint Louis, but it was also such a perfect situation for Jensen that he couldn't pass it up. The one thing Jensen said he took from Majerus was his intensity from the get go in practice all the way through the end, it's safe to say Coach Jensen will have a high intensity level and complete focus.  

     Charge GM Wes Wilcox started off the press conference describing what the organization was after. He wants a team that is defensive oriented first and foremost. Coach Jensen fits that criteria himself, earning All-FIBA Europe Cup Defender of the Year in 2004. Another very important component of the Cavalier organization is being selfless, Wes feels coach is that type of person and can get that characteristic across to his players. Wes also mentioned that he feels Jensen will be great at player development, but he also described it in a broader sense. He also touched on the development of the Cavaliers as a whole. The Charge aren't only looking to develop players but the organization as a hole, meaning coaches development and business/front office development. The players aren't the only ones looked at to improve, a lot of people are in new positions and there are more then players being molded.
     The last main priority of Wilcox in looking for a coach was the ability to build a connection to the community, something Coach Jensen did very quickly by stating that Canton McKinley grad and NBA veteran Keith McCloud will be on the Charge. Both sides of the GM-Head Coach relationship answered the question 'why'. Wes Stated that Jensen shares the Cavalier philosophy and is a high character guy. Coach Jensen answered by acknowledging the Cavs organization is doing things right and he's excited to be apart of it! They both mentioned Jensen's path to where he is as a huge benefit of coaching in this position. Wes knew he could relate to players because he has traveled a similar path. Jensen stated that he has seen players who shouldn't have been in the NBA and made it due to hard work, and on the other end of the spectrum seen guys waste all their potential. He thinks that seeing both sides and being able to relate to players paths will be a motivating and influential force for the players as their coach.

     Both men admitted to joking with each other and referring to Jensen as 'the player who just wasn't good enough for the NBA'. I don't think you're going to get any issues out of the Cavaliers or the Canton community because if he was he would likely still be playing and not be our coach. He is such a motivated young man with so much passion and focus, he reflects how this community survives and we are lucky to have him...now let's get this season started! GO CHARGE!