LAS CRUCES, New Mexico - Reggie Theus has some unfinished business before taking on his next challenge.
Theus, a 13-year NBA veteran and two-time All-Star, was named coach at New Mexico State, athletics director Dr. McKinley Boston announced Monday.
Currently in his second year as an assistant at Louisville, Theus is helping coach Rick Pitino prepare the Cardinals for Saturday's national semifinal matchup against Illinois.
Theus, 47, becomes the permanent replacement for Hall of Fame coach Lou Henson, who retired in January after not being able to coach this past season due to health reasons.
Henson, who took over the program in 1966 and guided the Aggies to the Final Four in 1970, returned in 1997 after 21 years at Illinois and took New Mexico State to the NCAA Tournament in 1999.
In between, Neil McCarthy took the Aggies to five straight postseason appearances between 1990-94. But the Aggies are coming off two consecutive losing seasons, including a 6-24 record under interim coach Tony Stubblefield.
It was New Mexico State's worst record since the 1965-66 season, just prior to Henson's first stint with the school.
"I am very excited about the leadership that Reggie will bring to the New Mexico State men's basketball program," Boston said. "I know he will get the attention of our student-athletes. His approach to hard work and discipline is a part of what defines him and it's going to take a lot of hard work to get our program back to where we want it to be."
Besides two years as an assistant at Louisville, Theus spent one season as a volunteer assistant at Cal State-Los Angeles and coached the Las Vegas Slam of the ABA in 2002.
"When you talk about what attracted me to New Mexico State basketball, I think you can sell the future of the program," Theus said. "Everyone from President Martin, to Dr. Boston to the faculty are all on the same page and everyone wants to get back to where Aggie basketball was in the early 1990s."
After starring for three years at UNLV, Theus was the ninth overall pick in 1978 NBA draft and played with the Chicago, Kansas City, Sacramento Atlanta, Orlando and New Jersey. He also worked in TV with TNT.
"I have 30 years of basketball experiences," Theus said. "A lot of those years as a player, especially on the collegiate level. My years of playing in the NBA and being an analyst are all great experiences that have helped me in my coaching career.
"I have worked and talked with some of the best minds in basketball. My two years at Louisville, coaching under Rick Pitino, caps off a very long career of learning the game of basketball."
