I’ve prepared for a lot of big moments and competitions in my 30 years of coaching college and high school basketball. But nothing could have prepared me for hearing that I had cancer.

I’d noticed that my allergies got bad earlier that year but did not think anything of it. My wife, Jacquie, a physician’s assistant, had heard what sounded like me snoring while I was watching television. After I assured her that I was awake, she...