neither is Waltuh!

[Ellie Cutler]

<from the Louisville Courier-Journal>
The C-J's Sunday College Basketball Notebook
University of Louisville: McCarty settling into new career

Walter McCarty's biggest adjustment to college coaching had nothing to 
do with learning NCAA recruiting regulations or dealing with teenagers. 
It was putting on University of Louisville gear.

"I never wore a red shirt before," he said. "I didn't own one and would 
have never even thought about wearing one."

McCarty starred at the University of Kentucky, helping the Wildcats win 
the NCAA title his senior season under coach Rick Pitino in 1996. After 
a 10-year NBA career, he decided to enter the coaching ranks this summer 
as an assistant under Pitino at U of L.

The native of Evansville, Ind., said he first considered coaching when 
he watched the Cardinals play in last season's Big East Conference 
Tournament behind the bench in Madison Square Garden as a guest of Pitino.

"I was watching the players and seeing things that I thought could help 
their game out," he said. "And I thought to myself, 'Hey, I can do this.' "

His first few months on the job have been typically busy for a college 
assistant. He got back in town Friday morning after being on the road 
for a week, visiting several high school prospects in different cities.

"We traveled a lot when I was in the league, so I'm used to it," the 
6-foot-10 McCarty said. "But I don't always get to fly first class now, 
so the legroom is a little different."

McCarty said that he tries to be "honest and open" with potential 
recruits and that his playing resume helps him gain their attention.

"There are two things that every kid wants, and that's to win a 
championship at the college level and to play professionally," he said. 
"When I walk in the door, I am an example that both of those things can 
happen."

 From being around Pitino, both at UK and with the Boston Celtics, 
McCarty knows how hard his assistants work. He also knows that head 
coaching opportunities usually come quickly from doing that hard work.

"If that happens somewhere down the road, that would be great," he said. 
"But right now I'm enjoying this and learning as much as I can. My main 
goal is to help get Coach back to the national championship game."

And he said he has finally become comfortable wearing Cardinal red.

"It's not about Kentucky and Louisville right now," he said. "It's about 
helping these kids become the best they can be."