Corliss Williamson, a former NCAA All-American at Arkansas and an NBA champion with the Detroit Pistons, will head the UCA men’s basketball program.
Williamson, a Russellville native and Arkansas Sports Hall of Famer, was named the new Bears coach on Friday. He coached the past three seasons at Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock, the past year as head coach. Prior to that, Williamson played 12 years in the National Basketball Association, helping the Pistons to the NBA championship in 2004.
“Coach Williamson made it clear from the beginning of this process that he wanted to be the head basketball coach at UCA,’ said Dr. Brad Teague, UCA director of athletics. “He was aggressive with his passion for being our head coach, not just a head coach, but UCA’s head coach.
Williamson laid out a plan for UCA basketball with goals which align with UCA’s program and institutional goals, said Teague.
“He made sure to absorb basketball knowledge from all the greats of the game in which he has been aligned. He has put this knowledge into a tangible plan which guides his coaching style,” said Teague.
The Bears will be fully eligible for NCAA Division I postseason play next season.
Williamson was a high school legend in Arkansas playing for the Russellville Cyclones and the Arkansas Wings AAU team. He was the Gatorade National Player of the Year in 1991 and 1992 before signing with the University of Arkansas. During his highly decorated career at Arkansas, Williamson was a two-time SEC Player of the Year and was the Most Outstanding Player of the 1994 NCAA Final Four.
Williamson was a lottery pick by the Sacramento Kings in the 1995 NBA Draft.
Williamson is one of only a handful of basketball players to win both an NCAA Championship and an NBA Championship. That list includes Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, John Havlicek and Isaiah Thomas.