Melvin Watkins facts for kids

Melvin Lenzo Watkins, born on November 15, 1954, is a former American college basketball coach and player. He is known for his time coaching at universities like Charlotte, Texas A&M, Missouri, and Arkansas.

Early Life and High School Basketball

Melvin Watkins grew up in Reidsville, North Carolina. He went to Reidsville High School and played on the basketball team from 1970 to 1973. In his final year, he was the team captain.

Watkins helped his team win the state championship. Because of his great performance, he was named a high school All-American in 1973. This means he was recognized as one of the best high school players in the country.

College Playing Career

Watkins played college basketball at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He was the point guard and captain for the Charlotte 49ers. In 1977, his team made it to the Final Four of the NCAA tournament, which is a big achievement in college basketball.

While playing, Watkins also focused on his studies. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics in 1977. After college, he was chosen by the Buffalo Braves in the 1977 1977 NBA draft. However, he never played in the NBA.

Coaching Career Highlights

Coaching at Charlotte

In 1978, Melvin Watkins started his coaching career as an assistant at Charlotte. He worked there for 18 seasons under three different head coaches. In 1996, he became the head coach for the Charlotte 49ers. He was the first former Charlotte player to become the head coach.

In his first year as head coach, Watkins was named the Conference USA Ray Meyer Coach of the Year. He led the 49ers to the NCAA tournament twice. His team won 42 games and lost 20 during his two seasons as head coach.

Time at Texas A&M

After his success at Charlotte, Watkins became the head coach at Texas A&M University in 1998. The Texas A&M team had not been very successful before he arrived. Over six years, his team had a record of 60 wins and 112 losses.

One memorable game during his time at Texas A&M was against Texas Tech. Texas A&M won by scoring at the last second. This game led to a rule change, allowing officials to use instant replay to review plays.

Watkins was known for finding talented new players for Texas A&M. He brought eight top-ranked recruits to the school. Many of these players, like Antoine Wright and Acie Law IV, became very successful. He also made sure his players focused on their studies. Many of them graduated from college.

Coaching at Missouri

In 2004, Watkins became an associate head coach at the University of Missouri. In 2006, he briefly became the interim head coach for Missouri. This means he took over temporarily when the main coach left. He led the team for a short period before a new head coach was hired. After that, he went back to being an associate head coach.

Coaching at Arkansas

In 2011, Watkins moved to the University of Arkansas as an associate head coach. He coached there for eight seasons. He left the team in 2019.

Personal Life

Melvin Watkins is married to Burrell Bryant. They have three children: Manuale, Marcus, and Keia. His son, Marcus, also played basketball for his father at both Texas A&M and the University of Missouri.

Watkins is also involved in community work. He has helped with Habitat for Humanity, which builds homes for people in need. He also co-chaired a shelter for people affected by domestic violence.