Bob Wade (basketball) facts for kids
Wade in 1988
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| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 9, 1944 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Morgan State University |
| Playing career | |
| 1968 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1969 | Washington Redskins |
| 1970 | Denver Broncos |
| Position(s) | Defensive back |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1975–1986 | Dunbar HS |
| 1986–1989 | Maryland |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 272–24 (High School) 36–50 (College) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Awards | |
| USA Today Coach of the Year – 1983 | |
Robert Pernell Wade, born on December 9, 1944, is a former American football player and college basketball coach. He was the head coach for the University of Maryland men's basketball team from 1986 to 1989. Before that, he played as a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL).
From 1996 to 2015, he also worked as the athletics coordinator for the Baltimore City Public School System.
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Bob Wade's Football Career
Wade played college football at Morgan State University. After college, he joined the NFL. He played as a defensive back for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968. In 1969, he played for the Washington Redskins. His last NFL team was the Denver Broncos in 1970.
Basketball Coaching Journey
Before coaching at the University of Maryland, Bob Wade was a very successful high school basketball coach. He coached at Dunbar High School in Baltimore for ten years. During his time there, his teams won 341 games and lost only 25. His teams were often ranked among the top 10 in the country.
Amazing High School Teams
In his best two seasons, from 1981 to 1983, Wade's teams had an incredible record of 60 wins and no losses. The 1982-83 team was even ranked number one in the nation by USA Today. These teams included four players who later played in the NBA.
One of these players was Reggie Lewis, who became a captain for the Boston Celtics. Another was Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues, who played in the NBA for 14 years. He was the shortest player in NBA history at 5 feet 3 inches tall. David Wingate and Reggie Williams were also on these teams. They later won a college championship together at Georgetown in 1984.
Coaching at Maryland University
Bob Wade was hired to coach at the University of Maryland after the previous coach, Lefty Driesell, resigned. This happened because of concerns about the basketball program. Wade was known for being a strict coach, which appealed to the university leaders. They wanted to improve the team's image.
Wade also became the first African American coach of a major sport in the Atlantic Coast Conference. This was a big step, even though he had no previous experience coaching a college team.
Challenges and Successes
Wade started coaching at Maryland just days before the 1986–87 season began. He faced a tough situation, as several players were suspended. This led to one of the worst seasons in the school's history, with a 9–17 record. The team did not win any games in their conference that year.
However, Wade quickly worked to rebuild the team. The very next year, the Terps made it to the NCAA tournament. In the 1988–89 season, the team struggled again, losing 20 games. This was the most losses in the school's history at that time.
Wade resigned on May 12, 1989, after only three years as head coach. His overall record at Maryland was 36 wins and 50 losses. His resignation came after some issues arose regarding how he dealt with players and new recruits.
Recruiting Talented Players
Even though some people questioned his coaching skills, Bob Wade was very good at finding new talent. In just two years of recruiting, he brought in three players who later became first-round draft picks in the NBA. These players were Brian Carson Williams (who later changed his name to Bison Dele), Jerrod Mustaf, and Walt Williams.
An investigation found that Wade had provided some benefits to players and recruits that were against the rules. As a result, the Maryland basketball team faced penalties. They were placed on probation for three years. They were also not allowed to play in postseason tournaments in 1991 and 1992. Their 1988 NCAA Tournament appearance was also removed from the official records because some players were not eligible.
Bob Wade's Coaching Record
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland Terrapins (Atlantic Coast Conference) (1986–1989) | |||||||||
| 1986–87 | Maryland | 9–17 | 0–14 | 8th | |||||
| 1987–88 | Maryland | 18–13* | 6–8 | 5th | NCAA round of 32 | ||||
| 1988–89 | Maryland | 9–20 | 1–13 | 8th | |||||
| Maryland: | 36–50^ (.419) | 7–35 (.167) | |||||||
| Total: | 36–50 (.419) | ||||||||
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National champion Conference regular season champion Conference tournament champion |
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* 1988 NCAA Tournament appearance was vacated due to ineligible players; official record is 17–12.
^ Record at Maryland is 35–49 (7–35 ACC) without vacated games.
