Little Rock fires coach Darrell Walker after eight seasons
Little Rock dismissed coach Darrell Walker after eight seasons, the university announced Friday.
The Trojans went 12-20 this season, including a season-ending 72-62 loss to Lindenwood on Wednesday in the first round of the Ohio Valley tournament.
Little Rock was predicted to win the 11-team OVC this season, but finished seventh with a 9-11 record. The Trojans are changing leagues to the United Athletic Conference for next season.
"After thoughtful consideration of the direction of Trojan Men's Basketball, I have determined that our organization is in need of comprehensive change," Little Rock athletic director Frank Cuervo said in a news release. "My expectation is that the program will consistently compete for championships in the new United Athletic Conference and position itself to earn NCAA Tournament berths. I am confident that the right leader will create momentum, energize our fan base, and guide the program to sustained success with a renewed vision for Trojan Basketball."
Walker, who turns 65 on Monday, went 113-133 with two regular-season titles at Little Rock, but never led the Trojans to the NCAA Tournament. The program last made the tourney in 2016 when Chris Beard was coach and the Trojans upset fifth-seeded Purdue in double overtime before losing to Iowa State in the second round
Walker played for Arkansas and was a second-team All-American as a junior in 1982-83. He was a first-round pick (12th overall) by the New York Knicks in the 1983 NBA Draft. He averaged 8.9 points, 4.6 assists and 4.4 rebounds in 720 games (356 starts) in 10 seasons for five teams and was part of the Chicago Bulls' 1993 NBA championship squad.
Walker also was an NBA head coach for the Toronto Raptors (1996-98) and Washington Wizards (1999-2000) and compiled a 56-113 record.