Todd Wright is the strength and conditioning coach for the Texas men's basketball team, but his role is far more expansive than the title indicates.
During his 10 years with the program, Wright has been responsible for sculpting more bodies than Michelangelo while simultaneously functioning as a teacher, father-figure, recruiter, friend, motivator and, of course, coach to his players.
To Wright, it is simply a labor of love.
"I genuinely enjoy helping people get where they want to go," Wright said. "It's like I really, truly don't have a job. I live the American dream."
It is a dream he shares with Texas coach Rick Barnes.
The two met 14 years ago when Barnes took the head coaching job at Clemson where Wright served as a young, up-and-coming strength and conditioning coach. Since then, they have been inseparable, migrating to Texas together in 1998.
"He's a person that I'm as close to as I've ever been to anybody," Barnes said.
Over the years, Barnes watched as Wright grew both personally and professionally. Whether as a friend or as a boss, Barnes freely admits Wright is an indispensable asset.
"His role is the most valuable role on our staff," Barnes said. "Todd is involved in every aspect of our program. I don't think there is any question about his value and what he means to our team."
From training and nutrition to academics and recruiting, Wright does a little of everything. In combination, the multiple roles allow the 37-year-old Massachusetts native to constantly have his finger on the pulse of the team.
One minute, he will be physically pushing players to their limits. The next, he's offering words of encouragement to someone who endured a personal setback in life. The unique position allows Wright to build meaningful relationships with his players.
"I love him; he's like another father to us," D.J. Augustin said. "He looks out for us, whether it's our bodies or it's our lives. He's like a friend to us; he's just a great person."
And he is not a bad strength and conditioning coach either. For proof, look no further than sophomore Dexter Pittman.
As a freshman, Pittman reported to Texas standing 6-feet-10-inches tall and weighing 366 pounds. It was obvious to Wright that the weight had to be reduced in order to maximize potential.
It took a mutual agreement and countless hours of sweating in the gym, but in a little more than a year, Wright brought Pittman's weight below 300 pounds while dramatically reducing his body fat from 41.6 percent to 13.8 percent.
"He changed my life," Pittman said. "I really didn't think I could be this advanced at this point in my life, but he sped everything up for me."
Pittman hopes to follow in the footsteps of other Longhorn greats who benefitted from Wright's techniques to thrive in the NBA. Professionals like T.J. Ford, LaMarcus Aldridge, Daniel Gibson and Kevin Durant all own a portion of their success to Wright.
However, Wright does more than simply improve endurance, strength and explosion. He helps mold minds as well.
"[I enjoy helping] them understand what it takes to be successful outside the game," Wright said. "I'm going to do anything I can for them beyond getting them ready physically. If they need me at anytime, I'll be here."
And the strong bonds developed at Texas do not weaken once players graduate or jump to the pros.
Following Durant's decision to enter the 2007 NBA Draft, many professional scouts criticized his lack of upper body strength after it was reported he failed to bench press 185 pounds during a pre-draft camp.
One of the first people to call Durant following the incident was Wright.
"The day it happened, I called him and I said 'I'm sorry,'" Wright said. "He said 'Coach, I love you, man, and I know what you've been doing [for me].' He was incredible."
While his bonds with current and former players are constantly strengthening, there is one thing capable of trumping Wright's commitment to his player - his dedication to his family.
"I have a blessed life. I'm madly in love with my wife, and I have three incredible children," Wright said. "Any free moment I have, I shoot home to walk the girls home from school. If I'm not with my guys, then I'm with my family."
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