It has been a wild week for local basketball fans down in Branson. Link Academy just made history by seeing five of its alums selected in the NBA Draft—with four going in the first round alone. As the program cements its status as a national powerhouse right here in the Ozarks, a new leader is stepping in to steer the ship. We were thrilled to welcome the newly minted head basketball coach of Link Academy, Mike Peck, to The Starting Lineup to discuss his historic three-year contract, his elite coaching pedigree, and how he plans to rebuild a roster entirely from scratch.

Learning From an Ozarks Legend

Before Coach Peck was leading elite prep academies or commanding benches in the NBA D-League and Division 1 ranks, he got a masterclass in coaching from a name that means everything to Springfield sports fans: Charlie Spoonhour. Peck served as a video coordinator under Spoonhour during his final season at UNLV. “When Spoon was down here, he owned the Ozarks,” Ned Reynolds noted during the interview. Peck fondly remembered Spoonhour’s calm Midwestern drawl amid the chaos of Las Vegas, calling him a tremendous individual who made a permanent impact on his career alongside other legendary mentors like Lon Kruger.

The Ultimate Recruiting Pitch

Peck takes over a unique situation at Link Academy: he has exactly zero returning players from last year’s roster. While rebuilding a full team on a national scale seems daunting, Peck admits that picking up the phone is a whole lot easier when you can lead with five NBA draft picks. The brand recognition of Link is incredibly strong, allowing Peck to target high-major, P4/P5 level talent. However, Peck isn’t just looking for the most stars; he emphasized that roster construction is about finding the right fits who can handle a 32-minute game with only one basketball.

Keeping it in the Family

While Peck is scouring the country and checking out international prospects for the perfect pieces, he already locked down one major commitment close to home. His son, Gavin Peck—a standout 6’3″ junior guard from Bernie, Texas—is moving up to the Ozarks to play for his dad. Coming from a football-heavy region just north of San Antonio, Gavin is ready to take his development to the next level on campus in Branson.

World-Class Infrastructure in Branson

To top off the excitement, Link Academy is on the verge of opening a brand-new, state-of-the-art third gym on campus, which will serve as the spectacular new home for their games. Coach Peck shared that the campus infrastructure is a dream for player development, noting that players can literally step out of their dorm doors and be on a shooting floor within 150 feet. With world-class facilities and a fresh three-year vision, the future of Link hoops remains incredibly bright.