Basketball coach Stephen Garnett's handshakes go viral again

Stephen Garnett, assistant men’s basketball coach and wellness instructor, continues to be a viral sensation thanks to a new video by The Bleacher Report.

Garnett became famous last fall for his handshakes—one for each player on the men’s team.

The ritual started in 2012.

“I wanted to have something that would only be able to be shared with the student athletes in our program,” Garnett said. “So the idea of a special handshake evolved. The first group saw the handshake I had with David Michaels ’12 and they all wanted one. Then the next group came in and it sort of became a thing organically.”

Over the past six seasons, Garnett has created a custom handshake for each player.

“It just shows how much he cares about us and how much connection he has with each individual player,” said Cedric Jacobs-Jones ’19, who plays wing.

Forward Andrew Harvey ’20 agreed. “We're a very close-knit team, so everything we do is an extension of our brotherhood. Coach takes that to a whole new level. The handshakes are just another example of how committed he is to us.”

Though the handshakes weren’t planned, Garnett said that the most important thing is the relationship between coach and players.

“That's where the foundation is built,” Garnett said. “With those relationships, come trust and respect for each other. Once that is forged and the brotherhood bond is made between player and coach, as well as player to player, that's when you really have something special.”

The men’s basketball team is currently undefeated at 19—0 for the season.