Dennis Gates Reflects on Time at Cleveland State, Relationship with Rob Summers

Gates coached against his former school, now led by one of his former assistants.

Nov 28, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers head coach Dennis Gates and Cleveland State head coach Rob Summers, a former assistant at Missouri, share a smile at Summers' post game press conference following a loss to the Tigers. | MissouriOnSI

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Dennis Gates broke one of the rules of his mentor, Leonard Hamilton, to play Cleveland State on Friday.

The legendary Florida State coach vowed to avoid playing against former assistants if at all possible. Gates recalls a game in 2014 when Hamilton was "almost sick to his stomach" when having to coach against his former assistant, Corey Williams, at Stetson.

But, Gates was eager to coach against Rob Summers, who is in his first-year as Cleveland State's head coach after spending last season as an assistant at Missouri. Summers was also on Gates' coaching staff for all three seasons that Gates was the head coach for the Vikings.

"I was excited all day sitting here being able to prepare against someone so close to our program," Gates said after the win for Missouri. "Regardless of coach Ham (being) against playing former assistants, I just knew at some point we would be able to face each other."

Friday's game was a forgetful matchup with a result that you'd expect for a Horizon League team playing against a SEC team. But for Gates, it was a long-awaited moment. Summers is the first one of Gates' assistants to earn a head coaching job.

Following the game, while Summers was in the middle of his press conference, answering a question about Missouri's length, Summers looked to the back left of the room and spotted Gates running in.

For the next two minutes, Gates sat next to Summers and his son, Rob Summers Jr., at the table. Crashing the press conference was part of what Gates had envisioned for this moment years ago.

"If I do face an assistant, I'm going to sit side by side with them and a post game press conference regardless of the outcome," Gates recalled writing when thinking of the goals of his program. "Simply because it says something about your program and development and the support that I have for these guys."

Gates recalled interviewing Summers for the job at Cleveland State, and realizing Summers would be an essential piece to his vision.

"At that point, I knew we had to have him in addition to the other guys on the staff to be successful," Gates said. "He just brings a unique a unique brand of coaching, a unique IQ."

Both coaches described the game as a "surreal" moment. For Summers, it was the opportunity to return back to Columbia and reunite with his mentor and fellow assistants.

"He's somebody who means a lot to me," Summers said of Gates. "He's taught me a lot, even when I didn't want to learn it. The kind of way he says about his players, he puts his arms around them, whether it's a hug or a headlock. He's put me in a lot of headlocks, even at seven-foot and 41 years old. I appreciate everything he's done for me."

Three of the current assistants on Gates' staff were also on staff with him at Cleveland State. He's hoping Summers will be just the first of many of his assistants to earn opportunities as a head coach.

"I'm just thankful to watch an assistant, no different than when I watch these (players) play pro ball," Gates said. "It's something that you talk about and you work toward."

Championship teams have Championship staffs. Student- Athletes learn about sacrifice, cooperation, initiative & loyalty by observing the interactions of their coaching staff. Day 3 of @CSU_Basketball staff retreat week. Thanks @Cavs for the hospitality. pic.twitter.com/1XkgFP7g9K

— Dennis Gates (@coachdgates) August 21, 2019

But for Gates, the specialty of the moment was two-fold, not only getting to against someone he took under his wing, but also reconnect with the school that gave him his first chance as a head coach. He went 50-40 in his time at Cleveland State, leading the program to two first-place finishes in the Horizon League and a NCAA Tournament bid.

"I was able to learn more about myself than any stop I've ever had because I had a collaboration with an AD, a collaboration with the President," Gates said. "It's not the place, it's the people being in a place at the right time."