Thursday, September 11, 2003

Valparaiso University head men's basketball coach Homer Drew announced the addition of Rex Walters as an assistant coach. Walters joins the Valpo staff after serving as a graduate assistant at Emporia (Kan.) State University during the 2003 year.

Before embarking on a seven-year NBA playing career, Walters became nationally recognized for an outstanding collegiate career at the University of Kansas and Northwestern University. While playing for Roy Williams at Kansas, Walters helped the Jayhawks capture the Big Eight Championship in 1992 and 1993, earning First Team All-Big Eight honors both years. In 1993, Walters was selected as the Big Eight Athlete of the Year after helping UK to the NCAA Final Four.

As a freshman and sophomore (1988-90), Walters played at Northwestern, earning Honorable Mention All-Big Ten status.

In 1993, Walters was the #16 selection in the first round of the NBA Draft by the New Jersey Nets. A guard, Walters played with the Nets for two seasons before joining the Philadelphia 76ers from 1995-97. He concluded his NBA career with the Miami Heat (1997-00), which won the Atlantic Division Championship in 1998 and 1999.

Walters took his basketball skills to Spain, playing in Leon in 2000 and the Canary Islands in 2001-02. He also played for the Kansas City Knights of the American Basketball Association in 2000 and 2002, helping the Knights win the ABA Championship in 2002.

As a coach, Walters has been influenced by the likes of Williams, Pat Riley and Larry Brown.

"Rex brings a wealth of knowledge to our program and has gained a lot of experience with some great coaches at the NBA and collegiate levels," Drew said. "He also possesses an outstanding work ethic which helped him endure a long playing career.

"As a player, Rex was always the first in the gym and the last to leave. That type of work ethic will serve as a great example for our basketball team."

Walters spent the 2002-03 season as an assistant coach at Blue Valley Northwest High School, which won the 2003 Kansas Sub State Championship. He also directs his own basketball academy, which he has run since 2001.

A 1993 graduate of the University of Kansas, Walters earned a Bachelor of Science in education.