Walter McCarty is returning to college basketball as Evansville’s head coach. University of Evansville Director of Athletics Mark Spencer has announced that Evansville native and current Boston Celtics assistant coach Walter McCarty has agreed to terms to become the next head men’s basketball coach for the Purple Aces.
“I could not be more thrilled with the amount of interest we had in our head coaching position, but it became very evident that Walter McCarty was 100% the right man for the job,” Spencer said. “His personality, experience and infectious energy really set him apart. Nobody would have been able to sell Evansville to recruits like Walter McCarty.”
“This is an exciting time for the University of Evansville. We are pleased to welcome Walter McCarty to the Purple Aces family,” UE President Dr. Tom Kazee said. “Throughout the interview process, Walter stood out as the candidate that fit best at our university and our goals. His energy and vision were unparalleled.”
Evansville announced McCarty’s selection Thursday as the replacement for Marty Simmons, who was fired this month after going 184-175 over 11 seasons during which the Purple Aces failed to make the NCAA or NIT tournaments. Evansville finished 17-15 this season, losing in the opening round of the Missouri Valley Conference tourney.
McCarty is returning to his southern Indiana hometown, where he was a high school star. A native of Evansville, McCarty was a standout at Harrison High School before attending the University of Kentucky in 1993. He played a pivotal role in the 1996 National Championship team that went 34-2, averaging 11.3 points per game. Upon his graduation from UK, McCarty was selected by the New York Knicks with the 19th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. In a professional career that spanned 10 seasons, McCarty spent time with the Knicks, Celtics, Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers.
McCarty will be introduced at a celebration on Friday evening at 5:30 p.m. inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse and presented by German American Bank. This is open to the public.