Since the day he was hired as Arizona Basketball's head coach on April 6, 2009, Sean Miller has made it clear that he gets it: Arizona Basketball isn't just a basketball program; it's a family.
 
It's a family that include the men who came before him, the ones who came during his time and the ones who will come after. It's conference championships, winning at the highest level and preparing young men for the rest of their life.
 
It's a family whose roots were laid by Fred Snowden, Lute Olson and all the student-athletes who have proudly represented the cardinal and navy.
 
So how deep does the Arizona Basketball family actually run? It's an easier answer than you might think. Try 2,051 miles – the distance from Tucson, Ariz., to Pittsburgh, Pa.
 
See, when Miller arrived in 2009, there was one member of his staff who would serve as the link to those who came before. His name? Athletic trainer, Justin Kokoskie. And, in an ironic twist, Kokoskie hails from the same place as Miller—The Steel City.
 
"All you have to do is talk to the former players," Miller said of Kokoskie. "The people who have been here under his leadership and direction. Coach Olson told me how talented Justin is at his job. Being that he's from the same area that I'm from, went to the University of Pittsburgh, what a small world. We always have had a connection. He is great at his job, but who he is as a person transcends it all. The former players love him. They stay in contact with him. They seek him out when they come back.
 
"We are extremely fortunate that Justin is a part of our family."
 
Added former point guard and suburban Pittsburgh native T.J. McConnell: "Justin is our guy. We all love him. He's the important link that brings all the former players together. The Arizona basketball roster may change year to year, but Justin is the part that always remains constant. He is more than an athletic trainer, he is family."
 
Kokoskie grew up in suburban Pittsburgh in Oakdale, Pennsylvania. He can't give you some story that he always knew he wanted to be an athletic trainer. Instead, it didn't happen until his senior year at West Allegheny High School when he tore his ACL in a basketball game.
 
He was eager to get back healthy and wanted to learn more about the injury, why it happened and how to heal from it. So you can guess what happened next.
 
Kokoskie went to the University of Pittsburgh to study sports medicine.
 
After four years there, Kokoskie accepted an internship at Arizona in 2000 where he would get his Master's Degree in Education. He served as the athletic trainer for the women's soccer team, but helped out with every sport on campus. That of course included men's basketball. And in a simple twist of fate in 2002, when Kokoskie was wrapping up his internship, Lute Olson and the Cats were looking for an athletic trainer.
 
Of course, Olson's team was ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25.
 
"I always felt comfortable with my skills and education and stepping over in 2002 to be the athletic trainer for the number one team in the country," Kokoskie said. "I looked at it that I was very fortunate and I had to prove myself every day. What really helped me was Coach Olson, (assistant coach) Jim Rosborough and (director of operations) Ryan Hansen welcoming me into the basketball family and making me feel comfortable."
 
Kokoskie hit the ground running and was officially a member of the Arizona Basketball family. He served as Olson's athletic trainer for the final five seasons of the coach's career. They formed a strong bond that is still present today.
 
Then in 2009, Miller arrived. Kokoskie already knew of the man who grew up about 35 miles northwest of him in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. He had actually competed against Miller's brother, Archie, and dad, John, in a high school summer league tournament and also attended John's basketball camps growing up in Western Pennsylvania. Kokoskie was familiar with the Miller legacy in Pittsburgh and was very aware of Sean's success as the head coach at Xavier.
 
Not surprisingly, the two hit it off and Kokoskie is now in his 10^th season as Miller's athletic trainer.
 
The guy from Pittsburgh who always figured he'd go get his Master's in a warm weather spot before returning to his Pennsylvania roots is now as entrenched as anyone in the Arizona Basketball family.
 
"When Sean got hired, I knew what we were getting," Kokoskie said. "I knew the type of person he was. I knew the type of blue collar work ethic we were getting. We instantly bonded and I knew he would have a sincere respect for athletic training.
 
"After a few years of working with Sean, it became obvious to me that I was so blessed that I was going to work with back-to-back Hall of Fame coaches. The thing that strikes me the most is their extreme competiveness and their precise attention to details."
 
As much as he's enjoyed his time with Olson and Miller, the student-athletes are perhaps Kokoskie's favorite part of the job. Kokoskie, who also serves as the athletic trainer for men's and women's golf, cherishes the relationships he's built with the student-athletes.
 
"Watching these kids move on and become successful in life is amazing," Kokoskie said. "It really hits home when you go to a wedding of one of them and see what they've become. Whether you go to the wedding of Luke (Walton), T.J. (McConnell), Kirk (Walters) or Andre (Iguodala), you see all the players and coaches there, it just goes generation to generation and connects us all."
 
"I feel blessed and honored to be a small piece of the history of the program."