Coach Profile
Head Coach
Reggie Theus
Former NBA All-Star turned coach Reggie Theus was named to the dual role of Athletic Director and Men's Basketball Coach for Bethune-Cookman University on July 7, 2021, overseeing the Wildcats' vast athletic programs. Theus is the only individual in all of Division I athletics to hold both roles.
As Athletic Director, Theus helped Bethune-Cookman Athletics emerge from a dormant 2020-21 athletic season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With that also came the Wildcats' foray into the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) after over 40 years in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). Theus spearheaded the rebuild of the Wildcats athletic department, including the re-addition of the Wildcats bowling program in 2023 and the construction of an on-campus football practice facility, opening in fall of 2023.
As head basketball coach, Theus has totaled a 21-41 record over two seasons in the SWAC. He led the Wildcats to their first ever SWAC postseason appearance in 2023, where they appeared as the #7 seed.
In August, 2022, Theus and the Wildcats announced the signing of four-star recruit Zion Harmon, the highest-ranked recruit in program history. The No. 1 recruit in the state of Kentucky was ranked 50th by ESPN, 58th by Rivals and 63rd by 24/7 sports. In addition to Western Kentucky, Harmon was also being recruited by Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Seton Hall, and Murray State, among others.
Theus joined the Wildcats Athletic Department after most recently serving as head coach of California State University Northridge. He was named head coach of the Matadors in 2013, where he coached until 2018. Theus led the Matadors to a Big West Conference Final in his first season with the program.
Prior to his time with the Madators, Theus served as head coach of the South Bay Lakers of the NBA D-League for the 2012-13 season. Theus also spent time in the NBA coaching ranks as assistant coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2009-2011, and as head coach of the Sacramento Kings for the 2007-08 season.
Prior to his time as with Sacramento, Theus served as head coach of New Mexico State from 2005-07. In just his first season with the Aggies, Theus turned the program from a 6-24 squad in 2004-05 to a 16-14 team a season later. It was the fifth-best turnaround for a Division I men's basketball team at the time. One season later, Theus led NMSU to their 17th NCAA tournament, their first appearance since 1999, and 14th conference title.
Theus made his first foray into college coaching under Louisville head coach Rick Pitino, serving as an assistant for a Cardinals team that made a Final Four run in 2005.
Theus' first coaching experience came in the American Basketball Association. Theus became the first head coach of the Las Vegas Slam for the 2002 season.
Theus was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the ninth overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft. The 6'7" point guard averaged 16.3 points per game as a rookie, finishing as runner-up for the 1979 NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He was named to the 1978-79 All-Rookie team. He finished second on the team in scoring behind future hall-of-famer Artis Gilmore.
One season later, Theus averaged 20.2 points and 6.3 assists.
Theus appeared in his first NBA All-Star Game in 1981, and later helped the Bulls to the 1981 NBA Playoffs. Those Bulls defeated the New York Knicks before falling to the future NBA champion Boston Celtics a round later.
In the 1982-83 season, Theus averaged a career high 23-8 points per game, leading the Bulls in scoring.
Theus was traded to the Kansas City/Sacramento Kings in 1984 after over five years in Chicago. With the Kings, he continued his impressive play, averaging 18.8 points and 8.1 assists in 346 games over four seasons. Theus helped lead the Kings to two playoff appearances in 1984 and 1985.
In June, 1988, Theus was traded to the Atlanta Hawks, where he made another playoff appearance and a 52-win season.
In 1989, the NBA expansion draft saw Theus selected by the upstart Orlando Magic. Though the new franchise struggled, Theus continued his storng play, averaging over 18 points per game and over five assists.
The New Jersey Nets acquired Theus in June of 1990. He led the Nets in scoring with 18.6 points per game in the final season of his NBA career.
During his NBA career, Theus scored 19,015 points, with 6,453 assists. the two-time all-star currently ranks 63rd all-time in total career points, and 31st in total career assists. Theus is one of only two players in NBA history listed at 6'6" or taller to tally more than 750 assists in an NBA season (788 in 1985-86). The only other player to accomplish the feet is hall-of-famer Magic Johnson.
Theus played one final season of professional basketball in 1992 for Ranger Varese of Italy. he also played along with Aris in the Greek Cup Final in 1993, scoring nine points.
Theus was announced as a nominee for the Basketball Hall of Fame in January, 2023.
Theus played college basketball at UNLV for head coach Jerry Tarkanian from 1976 to 1978. In three seasons with the Runnin' Rebels, Theus averaged 12.9 points, 4.4 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game. Theus, who became one of the best players to ever don a UNLV uniform, shot 81 percent from the free-throw line for his career while amassing 1,177 career points (21st on all-time scoring list), 401 career assists and 389 career rebounds in just 91 collegiate games.
In his sophomore season, Theus helped lead UNLV to the shool's first ever Final Four appearance, falling to North Carolina by a single point. That UNLV team set NCAA single-season records for total points in a season, most 100-point games, and most consecutive 100-point games.
Theus was named a second-team All-American as a junior.
In 1989, Theus was inducted into the UNLV Athletic Hall of Fame. His #23 jersey was retired by UNLV in 1997, making him one of only eight players in program history to have their number retire
In addition to his playing and coaching careers, Theus has worked as a college and NBA sports broadcaster in various markets, hosting talk shows in Sacramento, Orlando, and Atlanta. He served as an analyst for Turner Sports, Sirius XM, and the Los Angeles Lakers. From 1995-97, he portrayed a high school basketball coach named Bill Fuller in the TNBC Saturday morning sitcom Hang Time.
Theus' other media roles include in-game color commentary for "SlamBall" for the 2002 season, commentary for the video game NBA Live 2002, cameos in films Book of Love, Forget Paris, and Like Mike. Theus also called PAC-12 basketball with Barry Tompkins on Fox Sports Net.
Theus is married to Elaine. Together, the couple have three children - Raquel (Roqui for short); Reginald Wayne Jr.; and Rhyan.