Former Assistant Gets Big Promotion

Philadelphia, Pa. - June 20, 2003 - Philadelphia 76ers President Billy King announced today that the team has named Randy Ayers as its new head coach. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"I am extremely excited to hire Randy," King said. "Randy has a great ability to teach. He is a strong communicator, which I feel you need to be in order to be effective in today's game. He has worked with some great coaches, and has developed defensive and offensive philosophies from those basketball minds."

Ayers, 47, becomes the 18th head coach in the history of the 76ers franchise. A six-year veteran of the Philadelphia coaching staff, he joined the team as the physical conditioning coach in June 1997 before earning a spot as an assistant coach in July 1998. As Larry Brown's top assistant, Ayers helped guide the 76ers to five-straight NBA Playoff appearances including a trip to the NBA Finals in 2001. Known for his pressure-defense mindset and up-tempo style, Ayers learned under the likes of Pete Gaudet, a Mike Krzyzewski assistant, at the U.S. Military Academy; Eldon Miller and Gary Williams at Ohio State; and Brown.

"I am extremely honored to be given the opportunity to coach the 76ers. I have a lot of respect and appreciation for their history and their commitment to excellence," Ayers said. "I would like to thank Mr. Ed Snider, the Roberts family, Billy King and Larry Brown for their guidance and assistance in helping me during my stay in Philadelphia. I look forward to the challenge of working, coaching and directing what I consider a classy group of players."

Prior to arriving in Philadelphia, Ayers spent the previous eight seasons as head coach at The Ohio State University. His impressive resume includes an overall record of 124-108, four post-season appearances, and National Coach-of-the-Year honors in 1991 by both The Associated Press and Black Coaches Association. Ayers guided his 1991 squad to a school-record 27 victories and the first of two-consecutive Big Ten championships. He received Big Ten Coach-of-the-Year honors in both 1991 and 1992 after directing the Buckeyes to a school-record 15 conference victories in each season.

Ayers spent six years as an assistant coach at Ohio State, including three years under Gary Williams, before being promoted to head coach in 1989. He arrived in Columbus after two years as an assistant coach at the U.S. Military Academy, where he coordinated the team's recruiting. Prior to his stint at West Point, he spent two years as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

The Ohio Player of the Year as a senior at Springfield North High School, Ayers went on to an impressive collegiate career at Miami (Ohio). A 1978 graduate of the school with a degree in education, he was an all-conference performer and four-year starter. He later earned his master of education degree there in 1981. The native of Springfield, Ohio, was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the third round of the 1978 NBA Draft but was released on the final cut. Prior to starting his coaching career, he played a year of professional basketball in Reno, Nev., in the Western League.

Randy and his wife, Carol, have two sons, Ryan (16) and Cameron (11), and reside in suburban Philadelphia.


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