Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Rex Walters Named Owls' Head Coach
4/28/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
April 28, 2006
Press Conference: | Photos | Transcript
BOCA RATON, FL - Rex Walters was named Florida Atlantic University's head men's basketball coach by FAU Athletics Director Craig Angelos, Friday afternoon in the Tom Oxley Athletic Center Founders' Lounge.
"Rex has the drive and commitment it takes to make the Florida Atlantic men's basketball program consistently competitive with the best in the nation," said FAU President Frank T. Brogan. "Over the past year, Rex has become an important member of the FAU family. His discipline, passion for excellence and desire to be the best makes Rex the right candidate to continue building a great program."
Walters joined the FAU staff in April 2005 as associate head coach under Matt Doherty. This appointment represents Walters' first head coaching position.
"This is a great day for me and my family," said Walters. "I am so excited to take over the reins for Matt Doherty and will continue to build this program until we take our place among the best in college basketball." Prior to coming to FAU, Walters served as an assistant coach at Valparaiso University. He is also a former NBA star, who played professionally for seven seasons, including three seasons with the Miami Heat.
"I'm really excited for Rex," said Stan Van Gundy, an assistant coach when Walters played for the Heat. "Rex was one of the hardest working players I had the good fortune to coach in the NBA, and any athlete playing for him now will be playing for someone who knows what it takes to be the best player possible."
With Walters on the sidelines in 2005-06, Florida Atlantic closed its tenure in the Atlantic Sun Conference with a 15-13 record overall and the program's best conference record ever at 14-6. The 15 victories were a five-win improvement over 2004-05, when the Owls went 10-17 overall.
"We are thrilled to have Rex as our next head coach," said Angelos. "He is the right man for the job. His well-documented work ethic is sure to serve as an example for both the current players and the players he helped recruit."
In addition to filling out his staff and finalizing the schedule for the 2006-07 season, preparing the Owls for their first season in the Sun Belt Conference is among Walters' first assignments. His roster this season will consist of 13 student-athletes, including 12 players who have signed with Florida Atlantic since April 2005.
"Rex will bring continuity to FAU basketball and build on the foundation we laid in year one," said Doherty, who was introduced as the head coach at Southern Methodist on April 24. "FAU basketball is in good hands, and I am confident that the Owls will soar to new heights under his leadership."
The Walters Bio
Rex Walters was named the sixth head men's basketball coach at Florida Atlantic University on Friday, April 28, 2006. The promotion from associate head coach came after one year of working side-by-side with Matt Doherty in laying a foundation for college basketball in Boca Raton.
Walters joined the FAU staff on April 20, 2005. One year and eight days later, he embraced the role of head coach for the first time in his coaching career.
He will lead an Owls' roster of 13 student-athletes - including 12 players recruited by Doherty and his staff - into the program's first season in the Sun Belt Conference this fall. He returns six regulars who averaged 4.3 points per game or more last season, including leading scorer DeAndre Rice (16.1 ppg) and A-Sun All-Freshmen honoree Carlos Monroe (11.0 ppg).
With Walters on the sidelines in 2005-06, Florida Atlantic closed its tenure in the Atlantic Sun Conference with a 15-13 record overall and the program's best conference record ever at 14-6. The 15 victories were a five-win improvement over 2004-05, when the Owls went 10-17 overall.
Prior to Florida Atlantic, Walters' first collegiate coaching job came at Valparaiso in a two-year stint as an assistant under Homer Drew. The 2003-04 Hornets were 18-13 overall and finished first in the Mid-Continent Conference with a record of 11-5.
The following season, Walters' second on the bench, Valparaiso went 15-16, earning third place in the MCC with a 10-6 mark. His coaching career began in 2002-03 in Overland, KS, where he served as a volunteer assistant coach for a Blue Valley Northwest High School team that reached the Kansas Class 6A State Tournament.
Walters' pedigree for coaching began as a player, receiving tutelage from some of the game's legendary coaches. Roy Williams at the University of Kansas and the NBA's Chuck Daly, Larry Brown and Pat Riley have all mentored Walters during his years as a player.
He first made his name known in college, starring for two seasons at Kansas. In 68 starts under Williams, he averaged 15.6 points per game, leading the Jayhawks in scoring during both his junior and senior campaigns.
KU combined to go 56-12 overall in 1991-92 and 1992-93, winning back-to-back Big Eight titles and reaching the 1993 Final Four. Walters was named to the All-Big Eight team both seasons and won Big Eight Male Athlete of the Year as a senior in 1993. As a junior, Walters averaged 16.0 points per game as the Jayhawks went 27-5. In his senior season, KU had a record of 29-7, with Walters scoring at a clip of 15.3 points per game.
Walters was an outstanding scorer from all areas of the court at Kansas, shooting 50.7% from the field, 41.8% from three-point range and nearly 85% at the free throw line. His college career originally began at Northwestern University, where he earned honorable mention from the Big 10 in both his freshman and sophomore seasons and led the team in scoring (17.6 ppg), three-point shooting (47.3%), free throw shooting (79.4%) and assists (125) as a freshman.
It was during his senior season at Kansas that Walters made his first connection Doherty, who joined the team as an assistant coach. The two reunited again for Doherty's single season at FAU, opening the door for Walters' move to the top.
After graduating from Kansas in 1993 with a B.S. in education, Walters was taken by New Jersey as the 16th overall pick in the 1993 NBA Draft. He went on to play seven seasons in total with the Nets, Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat, averaging 4.6 points and 1.7 assists per game in 13.7 minutes.
Walters averaged a career-best 6.8 points per game for Philadelphia in 1996-97 and made 67 career starts in 335 games. His career assist-to-turnover ratio was nearly two-to-one.
He was New Jersey's top three-point shooter in 1994-95 (36.2%) and Philadelphia's top long-range marksman in 1996-97 (38.5%). A constant competitor who is always ready for the game, he averaged 12.8 points and 7.3 assists per game in eight starts for the 76ers to end the 1995-96 season.
Walters' professional career spanned nine seasons in total, ending in 2002 after playing internationally for two years and also winning an American Basketball Association title with the Kansas City Knights.
Walters and his wife Deanna have four children: Addison (9), Drew (7), Riley (4) and Gunner (2).
What his Mentors are Saying
Matt Doherty, Head Coach, Southern Methodist University
On Walters as a player: "He was one of my favorite players because he was so focused on being a great player and helping his team win! One of the best competitors I've been around."
On Walters as an assistant: "Rex was an excellent assistant because he could recruit and coach. He is such a bright basketball mind, plus he is highly organized. When I put my head on the pillow each night, I knew Rex had the program in order. He gave me peace of mind."
On Walters as the next head coach at FAU: "Rex will bring continuity to FAU basketball and build on the foundation we laid in year one. FAU basketball is in good hands and I am confident that the Owls will soar to new heights under his leadership."
On Walters' resume to be a Division I head coach: "Rex has experiences that no other college coach in the country has: All-American at Kansas, Final Four participant, played in the NBA and in Europe and was exposed to the coaching expertise of Hall of Famers Roy Williams, Pat Riley, Larry Brown and Chuck Daly! He has a resume that is unmatched in college basketball!"
Homer Drew, Head Coach, Valparaiso University
"His knowledge of the game from both his collegiate and professional career and his ability to relate with young people give him a distinct advantage as a coach. Florida Atlantic is getting both a wonderful coach and a quality family."
Stan Van Gundy, Former Head Coach, Miami Heat
"I'm really excited for Rex. Florida Atlantic is a great situation. It is a great institution in a beautiful city and a great opportunity for Rex. I think Rex is one of the hardest working players that I had the good fortune to coach in the NBA. Any player playing for him will be playing for a guy that knows what it takes to be the best player possible. If any player wants to improve as a basketball player, Rex is the coach they want to play for."
Roy Williams, Head Coach, University of North Carolina
"Rex is a wonderful person and will do a great job as head coach. He is one of the top four competitors I've coached in 33 years. This competitiveness and his work ethic is something the Florida Atlantic players and fans will really love. He will be outstanding."
