| Intro | American basketball player-coach |
| Is |
Athlete Sports coach Basketball player Basketball coach |
| From | United States of America |
| Type | Sports |
| Gender | male |
| Birth | 1 February 1974, Evansville |
| Age: | 46 years |
Walter Lee McCarty (born February 1, 1974) is an American former basketball player, and current assistant coach with the NBA’s Boston Celtics. McCarty played for the NBA’s New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns, and the Los Angeles Clippers.
Early life and college career
Born in Evansville, Indiana, the 6-foot, 10-inch (2.08 m) McCarty played college basketball at the University of Kentucky where he was a part of the team that won the NCAA championship in 1996. In 1994, Walter’s made three pointer completed Kentucky’s 31 point comeback over LSU—the biggest second-half rally in NCAA history. He was selected by the Knicks with the 19th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft.
NBA career
McCarty played for the Knicks until October 1997, when he was traded to the Celtics. McCarty played in all 82 games that season, starting 64 of them. He also established career highs in virtually every category during this season. Over the next few years, he was one of Boston’s top options off the bench, often making a key defensive play or three point shot. He became a fan favorite in Boston for his gutsy play, hustle, and penchant for making the big shot. He was also a favorite of former Hall of Fame player and current announcer Tommy Heinsohn, who often exclaimed “I love Walter!” after some of McCarty’s plays.
In February 2005, McCarty was traded, along with an undisclosed amount of cash, to the Suns for a second round pick as a result of the Celtics’ youth movement. Walter McCarty signed with the Clippers in the offseason of 2005.
Career as NBA coach
In June 2007, McCarty accepted an assistant coach job at the University of Louisville under head men’s basketball coach Rick Pitino, under whom he played at Kentucky and with the Celtics.
In June 2010, McCarty was named as an assistant coach for the Indiana Pacers under Jim O’Brien, replacing Lester Conner. Walter also played for O’Brien during his tenure with the Celtics.
In 2011, McCarty was let go by the Pacers when Frank Vogel took over as head coach.
In August 2013, McCarty joined the Boston Celtics as an assistant coach for the 2013–14 NBA season.
Personal life
McCarty currently lives in Lincoln, MA. He appeared in the 1998 film He Got Game as the character “Mance”. In 2003, McCarty released the CD “Moment for Love”, an R&B/soul album to generally positive reviews. He sang the National Anthem prior to All-Star Saturday Night on the eve of the 2006 NBA All-Star Game.