Career
Van Gent started playing basketball at age 17. He also played korfball and soccer in college. In 1970, at age 23, van Gent started coaching basketball teams.
The first team was AMVJ Rotterdam.
After five years with the team he started coaching Frisol Rowic in Dordrecht. He quit coaching in 1991 after he was fired from Houthalen basketball team
In 1992 he moved to Estonia and started working as a basketball agent for Globe Sports Management in Europe. In 1996 he started coaching again, this time in Estonia.
From 1997–1999 he was also the coach of the Estonia national basketball team
From 2000–2004 he coached Ehitustööriist and the Netherlands national basketball team In 2005 he again quit coaching and concentrated on business and managing He also worked for three years as a scout for the National Basketball Association team the New York Knicks.
Van Gent returned to coaching in the 2008–2009 season at Rotterdam and again in the 2009–2010 season at EiffelTowers in Den Bosch after both teams fired their previous coaches during the season.
Maarten van Gent owns a real estate company named "Vangent Holding OU".
