Raising The Dentist
January 16, 2024 | Men's Basketball, Joel Coleman
State head men’s basketball coach Chris Jans’ parents reflect on their son’s path to success.
STARKVILLE – You know that intensity you see when you watch Mississippi State head men's basketball coach Chris Jans leading his team – that fire in his eyes that lets you know he's going to do everything in his power to find a way to win?
It's a characteristic that Bulldog players and fans have embraced these last two years, but it's far from a new development. If you don't believe it, just ask Jans' parents – his father, Ron Jans, and mother, Mary Jans.
"No matter what he's done, he's always wanted to win," Mary said of her son.
"It's just always been that way," Ron chimed in.
Added Mary: "And he's never liked it if he didn't do well. He'd be sure to tell you."
Chris' determination has certainly been a boon for the Bulldogs ever since he touched down in Starkville to lead the Maroon and White back in March of 2022. In his debut season as the bench boss at State last year, Chris made an immediate impact. He led MSU back to the NCAA Tournament and reinvigorated the Bulldog basketball program.
Chris has followed that up this season with more success. Headed into Wednesday night's game at Kentucky, State sits at 12-4 and just last week, earned the program's first win over a top-five opponent in 22 years as the Dawgs took down No. 5 Tennessee.
None of the success has caught mama and daddy Jans by surprise. How could it? Their boy's desire to be the best has been seen – and heard – dating back decades.
"[As a kid] he'd go down to the basement and just dribble and dribble in the dark," Mary remembered. "We had an old home, and his dad would say, 'Is he about done yet?' You'd just hear him dribbling and dribbling."
The persistence from Chris has certainly paid off all through the years. It kept him going through an early-life career change following his playing days at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa.
"He went [to college] for business at Loras," Mary said. "After that, he ended up going to work at Sherwin-Williams in Mason City as assistant manager selling paint and wallpaper. We were like, 'This is not Chris.'
"One day he called us and said, 'I can't do this anymore.' After that, he ended up [as an assistant coach at] Elmhurst and that was where Michael Jordan had his camp. It just kept going and going and going after that."
It sure has. Elmhurst was only the first step of a coaching career that has been steadily on the rise over the last 30 years.
It's gone through NCAA Division III, NAIA and junior college. These days, it's on the big stage in the Southeastern Conference. Mary and Ron can easily remember how satisfying it was to see Chris get the MSU gig.
"It was quite a deal," Mary said. "My nephew, Mitchell, called me. He said, 'Mary, do you realize what a big deal this is? This is big!' I said, 'Yes Mitchell, I know.' It was hard to fathom at first. We're going to be playing Kentucky and Alabama and Tennessee and all these big-time teams and here we are. It is kind of hard to believe we're actually at these games."
Indeed, Mary and Ron were in Starkville last week watching live as Chris guided State to the huge triumph over Tennessee. They were also part of the sold-out Hump crowd against Alabama last Saturday night.
But even when they're back home in Iowa, Mary and Ron don't miss a game. And to hear them tell it, it seems like they're as driven to wrap games in Maroon and White as Chris.
"We'll be standing up in front of the TV and, well…it can get pretty intense," Mary said.
"Oh, yes," Ron said with a grin.
The apple didn't fall far from the tree it doesn't appear. The whole Jans crew is laser-focused on winning.
Much more often than not, that's precisely what Chris does. He currently sits fifth in winning percentage amongst NCAA Division I coaches that have spent at least five seasons as a head coach.
The same mentality that pushed Jans to dribble in the basement for hours as a boy has made him one of the premier coaches in all of college basketball. It's made for a couple of beaming parents too.
"We're so proud of him," Ron said. "He's just always done well at everything he's done."
Said Mary: "I asked [Chris] just the other day, 'So did you ever think you'd be coaching in the SEC?' He just goes, 'I don't know Mom.' I said, 'I did.'
"I knew God gave him a gift to play basketball and then to coach. He's using it. I always thought he'd work himself up the ladder, and he has."